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THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


UNIFORM  WITH  THIS  VOLUME 
PASTE      By  A.  Beresford  Ryley 


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THE  ARMOURER 
AND  HIS  CRAFT 

FROM  THE  XIth  TO  THE  XVIth  CENTURY 

By  CHARLES 'FFOULKES;  B.Litt.Oxon. 


WITH  SIXTY-NINE  DIAGRAMS  IN  THE  TEXT  AND  THIRTY-TWO  PLATES 


METHUEN  &  GO.  LTD. 
36  ESSEX  STREET  W.G. 
LONDON 


First  Published  in  igi2 


PrwtUd  in  OrccU  ^nt^ov. 


TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE 

THE  VISCOUNT  DILLON,  Hon.  M.A.  Oxon. 
V.P.S.A.,  Etc.  Etc. 

CURATOR  OF  THE  TOWER  ARMOURIES 


PREFACE 


I DO  not  propose,  in  this  work,  to  consider  the  history  or  develop- 
ment of  defensive  armour,  for  this  has  been  more  or  less  fully 
discussed  in  works  which  deal  with  the  subject  from  the  historical 
side  of  the  question.  I  have  rather  endeavoured  to  compile  a  work 
which  will,  in  some  measure,  fill  up  a  gap  in  the  subject,  by  collecting 
all  the  records  and  references,  especially  in  English  documents,  which 
relate  to  the  actual  making  of  armour  and  the  regulations  which  con- 
trolled the  Armourer  and  his  Craft.  At  the  same  time  it  is  impossible 
to  discuss  this  branch  of  the  subject  without  overlapping  in  some 
details  the  existing  works  on  Arms  and  Armour,  but  such  repetition 
has  only  been  included  because  it  bears  directly  on  the  making,  selling, 
or  wearing  of  armour. 

I  have  intentionally  omitted  all  reference  to  the  sword  and  other 
weapons  of  offence,  for  this  would  have  unduly  increased  the  size  of 
the  present  work,  and  the  subject  is  of  such  importance  that  it  deserves 
a  full  consideration  in  a  separate  volume. 

The  original  limits  of  this  work  have  been  considerably  enlarged 
since  it  was  offered  as  a  thesis  for  the  Degree  of  Bachelor  of  Letters 
in  the  University  of  Oxford  in  the  Michaelmas  Term,  191 1.  A 
polyglot  glossary  has  been  included,  as  this  is  a  detail  which  has  been 
practically  overlooked  by  all  English  writers.  The  subject  of  Arms 
and  Armour  has  not,  up  to  the  present  time,  received  the  attention  in 
England  that  it  deserves,  but  I  would  be  the  first  to  admit  the  value  of 
the  works  of  Meyrick  and  Hewitt,  which  are  the  foundations  upon 
which  German  and  French  as  well  as  all  English  authors  have  based 
their  investigations.  At  the  same  time  it  should  be  remembered  that 
these  two  authors  were  pioneers,  and  statements  which  they  made  have 
been  contradicted   or  modified   by  more  recent  research.  Two 

b  ix 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


examples  of  this  will  suffice.  Meyrick  named  the  upstanding  neck- 
guards  on  the  pauldron  the  "  passguards "  and  the  neck-armour  of  the 
horse  the  "  mainfaire."  From  the  researches  of  Viscount  Dillon  we 
learn  that  the  passguard  was  a  reinforcing  piece  for  the  joust  and  the 
mainfaire  was  a  gauntlet  (main  de  fer.)  Both  these  mistakes  are  still 
perpetuated  in  foreign  works  on  the  subject,  which  shows  the  influence 
of  Meyrick's  work  even  at  the  present  day. 

The  subject  of  the  Armourer  and  his  Craft  has  never  received 
much  attention  in  England,  even  at  the  hands  of  Meyrick  and  Hewitt. 
On  the  Continent,  however,  writers  like  the  late  Dr.  Wendelin  Boeheim, 
Gurlitt,  Buff,  and  Angellucci  have  all  added  greatly  to  our  store  of 
information  on  the  subject.  Boeheim's  work  on  the  Armourers  of 
Europe  {Meister  der  Waffenschmiedekunsi)  is  the  only  work  in  any 
language  which  has  given  us  some  account  of  the  armour  craftsmen 
of  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  and  I  should  be  indeed  remiss 
if  I  did  not  take  this  opportunity  of  acknowledging  the  assistance 
which  this  collection  of  biographies  has  been  in  the  preparation  of  the 
present  work.  Signori  Gelli  and  Moretti  have  collected  interesting 
documents  relating  to  the  Missaglia  family,  but  apart  fi*om  this  no 
other  writers  have  made  a  study  of  the  Armourer. 

Gay's  Encyclopcedia^  which  unfortunately  was  cut  short  after  the 
letter  G  by  the  death  of  the  author,  is  also  invaluable  as  far  as  it  goes, 
in  that  it  gives  in  every  case  contemporary  references  relating  to  the 
use  of  each  word.  The  late  J.  B.  Giraud  published  certain  records 
dealing  with  the  Armourer  in  various  French  archaeological  journals, 
and  M.  Charles  Buttin  has  placed  all  those  interested  in  the  subject 
under  a  deep  obligation  for  his  minute  researches  on  the  subject  of  the 
proving  of  armour. 

Of  living  English  writers  I  would  express  the  indebtedness  not 
only  of  myself,  but  also  of  all  those  who  are  true  amateurs  d'armes^ 
to  Baron  de  Cosson,  who,  with  the  late  J.  Burges,  A.R.A.,  compiled  the 
Catalogue  of  Helmets  and  Mail  which  is  to  this  day  the  standard  work 
on  the  subject.     Last  of  all  I  would  offer  my  sincere  thanks  to 


PREFACE 


xi 


Viscount  Dillon,  Curator  of  the  Tower  Armouries,  not  only  for  his 
minute  researches  printed  in  the  Archceologia  and  Archceological 
jfournal^  which  have  brought  to  light  much  valuable  information  respect- 
ing the  Armourer  and  his  Craft  in  English  records,  but  also  for  very 
great  personal  interest  and  assistance  in  the  compilation  of  this  work. 

CHARLES  FFOULKES 

S,  John's  College, 

Oxford,  1912 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface         .              .              .              .              .              .              .           .  vii 

The  Armourer            .              .              .              .              .              .           .  i 

Tools,  Appliances,  etc.              .              .              .              .              .           .  22 

Iron  and  Steel           .              .              .              .              .              .           .  38 

The  Craft  of  the  Armourer    .              .              .              .              .           .  44 

The  Proof  of  Armour               .              .              .              .              .           .  62 

The  Decoration  of  Armour       .              .              .              .              •           •  73 

The  Cleaning  of  Armour         .              ,              .              .              .           .  78 

The  Use  of  Fabrics  and  Linen                .              •              .              .           .  83 

The  Use  of  Leather  .              .              .              .              .              .           .  96 

The  Wearing  of  Armour          .              .              .              .              .           .  104 

The  Armourers'  Company  of  the  City  of  London  .  .  .  .120 

Lists  of  European  Armourers   .              .              .              .              .          .  126 

Short  Biographies  of  Notable  Armourers  .  .  .  .131 

List  of  Armourers'  Marks        .              .              .              .              •           .  147 

Polyglot  Glossary  of  Words  dealing  with  Armour  and  Weapons      .          '  ^S3 

APPENDICES 

A.  Extract  from  the  Records  of  the  Armourers'  Company  of  London,  1322 

(Lib.  C,  fol.  33)              .              .              .              .              .           .  169 

B.  Regulations  of  the  Heaumers'  Company,   1347  (City  of  London  Letter 

Book  F,  cxlii)    .              .              .              .              .              .           .  171 

C.  Treatise  of  Worship  in  Arms,  by  Johan  Hill,  Armourer,   1434  (Bod. 

Lib.,  Ashmole.  856,  art.  22,  fol.  376)  .  .  .  .173 

D.  Traite  du  Costume  Militaire,  1446  (Du  Costume  Militaire  des  Fran^ais 

en  1446,  Bib.  Nat.,  Paris,  1997)     .              .              .              .           .  177 

E.  Extract  from  the  Ordinances  of  the  Armourers  of  Angers,  etc.,  1448 

(Ordonn.  des  Rois,  XX,  156.     Rev.  d'Aquitaine,  XII,  26.     Arch,  des  B. 

Pyrenees,  E,  302)             .              .              .              .              .           .  i8o 

xiii 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


PAGE 


F.  Expenses  in  the  Royal  Armouries,  temp.  Henry  VIII  (Brit.  Mus.,  Cotton. 

App.  XXVIII,  f.  76)        .  .  .  .  .  .182 

G.  Petition  of  Armourers  to  Queen  Elizabeth  (Lansdowne  MS.  63,  f.  5)   •  184 

H.  Undertaking  of  the  Armourers'  Company  of  London  to  supply  Armour 

(Records  of  the  Company,  161 8)     .  .  .  .  .186 

I.  Proclamation  against  the  Use  of  Gold  and  Silver  except  in  the  Case 

OF  Armour  (State  Papers  Dom.  Jac.  I,  cv)     .  .  .  .187 

J.  Erection  of  Plating-mills  at  Erith  (State  Papers  Dom.  Jac.  I,  clxxx)    .  188 

K.  Regulations  as  to  the  Hall-mark  of  the  Armourers'  Company  (Rymer, 

XIX,  314)        .  .  .  .  .  .  .  191 

L.  Petition  of  Armourers  (State  Papers  Dom.  Car.  1,  cclxxxix,  93)  .  .192 

M.   Extract  from  the  Survey  of  the  Tower  Armoury,   1660   (Brit.  Mus., 

Harl.  MS.  7457)  .  .  .  .  .  .  193 

Index  ......  .  .  195 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  THE  TEXT 


PAGE 

1.  Diagram  showing  the  "glancing  surface"  ,             .             .             ...  4 

2.  Diagram  showing  the  position  of  the  lance  in  jousting,  from  Arch.  Journ.,  LV.     .  .       .  5 

3.  Pauldrons  on  the  statue  of  Colleoni,  Venice,  and  of  a  Missaglia  suit  in  the  WafFensammlung, 

Vienna  (Plate  II)             .             .             .             .             .             ^          .       .  6 

4.  The  solleret,  practical  and  unpractical  .  .             .             .             ...  6 

5.  Horse-armour  .              .              .             .             .             .             ...  8 

6.  Harnischmeister  Albrecht,  from  a  painting  in  the  Arsenal,  Vienna  .              .           .       .  9 

7.  Cuissard  for  the  off  hock  of  a  horse.    Musee  Porte  de  Hal,  Brussels    .  .           .       .  10 

8.  Arms  of  the  Armourers'  Gild,  Florence.    From  the  Church  of  Or  San  Michele  .  .       .  14 

9.  S.  George,  by  Hans  Multscher,  1458.    Augsburg   .  .              .              .           .       ,  14 

10.  Richard  Beauchamp,  Earl  of  Warwick,  arming.    Brit.  Mus.,  Cott.,  Jul.,  E,  IV,  fol.  12  b  .  .  15 

11.  The  Westminster  helm  .              .              .              .              .              ...  17 

12.  The  Brocas  helm  .  .              .              .              .              .              ...  17 

13.  The  Fogge  helm   .  .              .              .              .              .              .           .        .  17 

14.  The  Barendyne  helm  .             .             .             .             .             ...  17 

15.  The  Mail-maker,  from  Jost  Amman's  Statide  und  Ha/idwerker,  circ.  1 590  .           .  .23 

16.  The  Armourer,  from  the  same  source  as  the  above  .              .              ...  24 

17.  Burring-machine  or  "jenny,"  from  the  picture  by  Breughel  given  on  the  frontispiece       .  .  36 

18.  Method  of  making  mail,  from  Arch.  Journ.,  XXXVII  .              .              ...  45 

19.  Representations  of  double  and  single  mail,  from  the  effigy  of  Robert  de  Mauley,  formerly  in 

York  Minster,  Archaologia,  XXXI     .              .              .              .              ...  45 

20.  The  coif  of  mail,  from  the  effigy  of  William,  Earl  of  Pembroke,  Temple  Church,  and  an 

unnamed  effigy  in  Pershore  Church,  Worcs,  after  Fairholt              .              .           .        .  46 

21.  Attachment  of  the  camail,  from  the  effigy  of  Sir  R.  Pembridge,  Clehonger  Church,  Hereford  .  46 

22.  Attachment  of  the  camail  reconstructed  .              .              .              ...  46 

23.  Suggested  arrangement  of  "banded"  mail,  from  Arch.  Journ.,  XXXVII,  figure  from  Romance 

of  Alexander,  Paris,  Bib.  Nat.,  circ.  1 240,  and  the  effigy  at  Newton  Solney,  Derbs.     .        .  47 

24.  Foot-soldier  wearing  a  jack,  from  the  Chasse  of  S.  Ursula^  by  Memling,  1475-1485.    Bruges  .  49 

25.  Construction  of  jack,  from  Arch.  Journ.,  XXXVII  .              .              ...  50 

26.  Brigandine  in  the  WafFensammlung,  Vienna,  No.  130  .              .              .           .        ,  50 

27.  Detail  from  the  picture  of  S.  Victor  and  donor,  by  Van  der  Goes,  Glasgow  .           .  -51 

28.  Effigy  in  Ash  Church,  Kent,  XIV  cent.  .              .             .             .          .       .  51 

29.  Statue  of  S.  George  at  Prague,  1375    .  .             .             .              ...  51 

30.  The  sliding  rivet  .  .              .              .              .              .              ...  52 

31.  Sections  of  brassards  in  the  Tower       .  .              .              .              ...  54 

32.  Locking  gauntlet  of  Sir  Henry  Lee.  Armourers'  Hall,  London  .  .  •  •  55 
33'  Locking  hooks,  turning  pins,  and  strap  cover       .             .             .             ...  55 

34.  Bracket  for  jousting-sallad.    Dresden,  C,  3, 4      .  .             .             .          •       •  57 

35.  Detail  showing  proof  mark  on  the  breast  of  suit  of  Louis  XIV.    Paris,  G,  125    .  .  .69 

XV 


xvi        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 

FACE 

36.    Proof  marks  on  a  brigandine  plate  in  the  Darmstadt  Museum               .              .           .       .  71 

37-    Poleynes  on  the  brass  of  Sir  Robert  de  Bures,  Acton,  Suffolk,  1 302    .              .           .       .  74 

38.  Beinbergs  on  the  statue  of  Guigliemo  Berardi,  1289,  in  the  Cloisters  of  the  Church  of  the  74 

Annunziata,  Florence       .  .  .  .  .  ... 

39.  Brass  of  an  unknown  knight  at  Laughton,  Lines,  1400         .             .             ...  75 

40.  Pourpointed  cuisses,  from  the  brass  of  Sir  John  de  Argentine,  Horseheath  Church,  Cambs,  1360  83 

41.  Padded  horse-armour,  from  King  Rene's  Traicte  d'un  Tournois               .              .           .       .  85 

42.  Padded  "harnische-kappe"  and  helm  showing  the  attachment  of  the  cap,  after  DUrer      .       .  89 

43.  Sallad-cap,  from  a  picture  by  Paolo  Morando,  1486-1522,  No.  571.    Uffizi  Gallery,  Florence  .  89 

44.  Helmet-cap,  from  a  XVI-cent.  engraving  of  Jacob  Fugger  .              .              ...  89 

45.  Detail  of  eyelet  coats,  XVI-XVII  cent.    Musee  d'Artillerie  and  Musee  Cluny,  Paris       .       .  91 

46.  Sallad  with  cover,  from  a  XVI-cent.  engraving     .              .              .              ...  93 

47.  Cuirass,  from  the  sketch-book  of  Willars  de  Honecourt,  XIII  cent.     .              .          .       .  96 

48.  Leather  gauntlet,  XVII  cent.    Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford             .              .          .       .  96 

49.  Brassard  of  leather  and  cord  for  the  tourney,  from  King  Rene's  Traicte  d'un  Tournois         .       .  97 

50.  Leather  and  steel  hat  of  Bradshaw  the  regicide.    Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford   .          .       .  99 

51.  Stripping  the  dead,  from  the  Bay eux  Tapestry      .              .              .              .           .       .  I05 

52.  Knight  arming,  from  the  Livre  des  Nobles  Femmes,  Bib.  Nat.,  Paris,  XIV  cent.     .  .  .105 

53.  Brass  of  Sir  John  de  Creke,  1325,  Westley  Waterless,  Cambs.           .             ...  106 

54.  Arming-points,  from  the  portrait  of  a  navigator.    Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford  .          .       .  108 

55.  Attachment  of  brassard,  from  the  portrait  of  the  Due  de  Nevers.    Hampton  Court  Palace       .  108 

56.  Moton  attached  by  points.    Harl.  MS.  4826        .              .             .              ...  109 

57.  Arming-points  on  the  foot,  from  a  picture  of  S.  Demetrius  by  Ortolano.    National  Gallery, 

London            .              .             .              .             .             .              ...  109 

58.  Sixteenth-century   suit  of  plate  with  the  several  parts  named  in  English,  French,  German, 

Italian,  and  Spanish          .              .              .              .              .              .           .        .  Iio 

59.  Attachment  of  jousting-helms  to  the  cuirass         .              .              .              .           .       .  II2 

60.  Side  view  of  the  above         .              .              .              .              .              .           .        .  112 

61.  The  armourer  in  the  lists.    Heralds' Coll.,  MS.  M,  6,  fol.  56  .  .  .  -113 

62.  Arms  of  the  Armourers' Company  of  London       .              .              .              ...  120 

63.  Design  on  a  gauntlet  of  the  suit  made  for  Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  by  William  Pickering,  circ. 

161 1.    Windsor  Castle     .              .              .              .              .              ...  122 

64.  Mark  of  Bernardino  Cantoni  on  a  brigandine,  C,  1 1.    Real  Armeria,  Madrid       .  .  -133 

65.  Detail  of  shield  by  Desiderius  Colman  (Plate  XXIV)          .              .              .          .       .  135 

66.  Capital  formerly  in  the  Via  degli  Spadari,  Milan,  showing  the  mark  of  the  Missaglia  family      .  138 

67.  Design  on  the  left  cuisse  of  Henry  VIII's  suit,  made  by  Conrad  Seusenhofer.    Tower  of 

London,  II,  5    .              .              .              .              .              .              ...  141 

68.  Design  by  Jacobe  Topf  for  gauntlet  and  armet  of  Sir  Henry  Lee,  from  the  Armourer's  Album. 

Victoria  and  Albert  Museum           .              .              .              .              ...  146 

69.  Design  on  the  breast  of  Sir  Henry  Lee's  suit  by  Topf.    Armourers'  Hall,  London  .  .146 


LIST  OF  PLATES 


FACING  I'AGE 

4 


Venus  at  the  Forge  of  Vulcan,  by  Jan  Breughel  and  Hendrik  van  Balen,  circ.  1600.  Kaiser 

Friedrich  Museum,  Berlin  .  .  .  .  .  .  Frontispiece 

FACIN 

I,    Armour  for  the  "  Stechzeug,"  XV-XVI  cent.    Germanische  Museum,  Nuremberg  . 

II.  Armour  of  the  fifteenth  century  exemplified  by  the  efiigy  of  Richard  Beauchamp,  Earl  of 
Warwick,  S.  Mary's  Church,  Warwick,  cast  by  Bartholomew  Lambspring  and  Will 
Austin,  circ.  I454>  from  Blore's  Monumental  Retnains.  S.  George,  by  Andrea  Mantegna, 
1431-1506,  Accademia,  Venice.  Armour  of  Roberto  di  Sanseverino,  by  Antonio  da 
Missaglia,  circ.  1480 ;  Waffensammlung,  Vienna,  No.  3  .  ...  8 

III,  A  Contrast.    Armour  of  Count  Sigismond  of  Tirol,  1427-1496  ;  Waffensammlung,  Vienna, 

No.  41.   Armour  of  Louis  XIV,  by  Garbagnus,  1668  ;  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  G,  125  12 

IV.  Armourers  at  work,  Brit.  Mus.,  Roy.  MS.  16,  G,  v,  fol.  1 1.   Wood-carving  of  Duke 

William  of  Aquitaine,  XV  cent.,  S.  William's  Church,  Strasburg.    Venus  and  Vulcan, 
XIII  cent.,  Kbnigl.  Bib.,  Berlin,  Codex  MS.  Germ.,  fol.  282,  p.  79  .  .       .  16 

V.    Anvils  in  the  British  Museum  (Burges  Bequest)  and  in  the  possession  of  Mme.  Bellon, 

Avignon      .  .  .  .  .  .  ...  20 

VI.    The  Workshop  of  Conrad  Seusenhofer,  from  the  IVeisz  KUnig,  by  Hans  Burgmair,  1 525     .  24 

VII.    Armour  of  Kurfiirst  Moritz,  by  Matthaus  Frauenpreis,  1548.    Kbnigl.  Hist.  Museum, 

Dresden,  G,  39  .  .  .  .  .  ...  28 

VIIL    Armour  of  Henry  VIII  for  fighting  on  foot  in  the  lists.    Tower  of  London,  II,  28    .       •  32 

IX.  Italian  brassard  (front  and  back),  cuisse,  1470 ;  Ethnological  Museum,  Athens.    Inside  of 

leg-armour  of  suit  shown  on  Plate  VIII       .  .  .  ...  36 

X.  Helmets  of  Henry  VIII  ;  Tower  of  London.    (1,  2)  Made  by  one  of  the  Missaglia  family  ; 

II,  29.    (3,  4)  Made  by  Conrad  Seusenhofer,  1514.    (5)  Bevor  for  the  latter;  II,  5.  The 

last  three  numbers  form  part  of  the  suit  shown  on  Plate  XII      .  .  .  .40 

XI.  Brigandine  (inside  and  outside),  XV  cent. ;  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  G,  204,  205.  Breast- 

plate of  a  brigandine,  1470 ;  Ethnological  Museum,  Athens.    Right  cuisse  of  suit  for 
fighting  on  foot  in  the  lists,  early  XVI  cent. ;  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  G,  178     .       .  44 

XII.  "  Engraved  Suit,"  by  Conrad  Seusenhofer,  presented  to  Henry  VIII  by  the  Emperor 

Maximilian  I,  1 5 14.    Tower  of  London,  11,5  •  •  •  .       .  48 

XIII.  Helmet  of  Sir  Henry  Lee,  by  Jacobe  Topf,  1530-I597.    Tower  of  London,  IV,  29  .  -52 

XIV.  Armour  of  King  Sebastian  of  Portugal,  by  Anton  PefFenhauser,   1525-1603.  Pageant 

armour  of  Charles  V,  by  Bartolomeo  Campi,  1546.    Real  Armeria,  Madrid,  A,  290,  188  .  56 

XV.  Alegoria  del  Tacto,  by  Jan  Breughel.    Prado,  Madrid     .  .  ...  60 

XVI.  Venetian  sallad,  XVI  cent. ;  Bayerischen  National  Museum,  Munich.  Back-platc  of  a 
brigandine,  1470 ;  Ethnological  Museum,  Athens.  Morion,  XVI-XVII  cent. ;  Stibbert 
Collection,  Florence.    Surcoat  of  the  Black  Prince ;  Canterbury  Cathedral  .  .       .  64 

XVII.    Cast  of  ivory  chessman,  XIV  cent.    The  original  of  this  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Rev.  J. 

Eagles  in  1856,  but  has  since  disappeared.    Ivory  mirror-case  showing  squires  arming 
their  masters,  XIV  cent.    Carrand  Collection,  Museo  Nationale,  Florence  .  .        .  68 


XVll 


xviii 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


FACING  PAGE 


XVIII.  Portraits  of  two  unknown  noblemen,  by  Moroni,  1510-1578,  showing  the  arming- 
doublet  and  mail  sleeves.    National  Gallery,  London  .  .  .       .  72 

XIX.  Helm  for  fighting  on  foot  in  the  lists,  XVI  cent.  It  formerly  hung  over  the  tomb  of 
Sir  Giles  Capel,  in  Raynes  Church,  Essex,  and  was  sold  as  old  iron  to  Baron  de  Cosson, 
from  whom  it  passed  to  the  collection  of  the  Due  de  Dino,  and  from  thence  to  the 
Metropolitan  Museum,  New  York,  Arming  a  knight  for  combat  in  the  lists,  from 
a  MS.  of  the  XV  cent.,  in  the  possession  of  Lord  Hastings       .  .  .        .  76 

XX.    Armour  of  Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  son  of  James  I,  by  William  Pickering,  1591-1630, 

Master  of  the  Armourers'  Company  of  London.    Royal  Armoury,  Windsor  Castle      .  80 

XXI.    Suit  of  "puffed  and  slashed"  armour,  circ  1520J  formerly  in  the  Meyrick  Collection; 

Wallace  Collection,  No.  380.  Tonlet  suit  for  fighting  on  foot  in  the  lists,  by  Conrad 
Lochner,  1510-1567;  Musee  d'ArtlUerie,  Paris,  G,  182.  Armour  of  Ruprecht  von 
der  Pfalz,  circ.  1515  »  WafFensammlung,  Vienna,  No.  198        .  .  .       .  84 

XXII.    Gauntlets.    (1,  2)  Left  and  right  hand  gauntlets,  probably  by  Jacobe  Topf,  1530-1597; 

Tower,  II,  10.  (3)  Bridle  gauntlet  of  James  I;  Tower,  II,  24.  (4)  Left-hand  gauntlet, 
XV cent.;  Madrid,  E,  87.  (5)  Locking  gauntlet,  XVI  cent. ;  Tower, III,  59.  (6)  Left- 
hand  bridle  gauntlet,  XVI  cent. ;  Tower,  III,  95.  (7)  Left-hand  gauntlet  of  Kurfiirst 
Christian  II,  by  Heinrich  Knopf,  circ.  1 590  ;  Dresden,  E,  7.  (8)  Left-hand  gauntlet  for 
fighting  on  foot  at  barriers,  XVI  cent. ;  Tower,  III,  58.  (9)  Gorget  of  Kurfiirst  Johann 
Georg  II,  showing  the  Garter  badge  and  motto,  by  Jacob  Joringk,  1 669 ;  Dresden,  D,  29  88 

XXIII.  Armour  for  horse  and  man,  middle  of  XV  cent.    Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  G,  i    .       .  92 

XXIV.  Pageant  shield,  by  Desiderius  Colman,  1 554.    Real  Armeria,  Madrid,  A,  24 1        .        .  96 

XXV.    Drawing  by  Jacobe  Topf,  1530-1597,  No.  15  in  the  Album  in  the  Art  Library,  Victoria 

and  Albert  Museum,  London     .  .  .  .  ...  loo 

XXVI.    Armour  of  Sir  Christopher  Hatton  ;  formerly  in  the  Spitzer  Collection,  now  in  the  Royal 

Armoury,  Windsor  Castle        .  .  .  .  ...  loo 

XXVII.  Drawing  by  Jacobe  Topf,  from  the  same  source  as  Plate  XXV,  18  in  the  Album   .  .104 

XXVIII.  Armour  of  Sir  John  Smith,  by  Jacobe  Topf.    Tower  of  London,  II,  12     .  .       .  104 

XXIX.  (1)  Armet,  middle  of  the  XVI  cent.;  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  H,  89.  (2)  Armet, 
engraved  and  gilt  with  heavy  reinforcing  plates  on  the  left  side,  end  of  XVI  cent. ; 
Paris,  H,  108.  (3)  Helm  from  the  tomb  of  Sir  Richard  Pembridge,  Hereford  Cathedral, 
circ.  1360.  It  was  given  by  the  Dean  of  Hereford  to  Sir  Samuel  Meyrick,  and  passed 
from  him  to  Sir  Noel  Paton,  and  is  now  in  the  Museum  at  Edinburgh.  (4)  Parade 
casque,  after  Negroli,  middle  of  XVI  cent.  ;  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  H,  253. 
(5)  Sallad,  by  one  of  the  Negroli  family,  end  of  XV  cent.  ;  Real  Armeria,  Madrid,  D,  13  I08 

XXX.  Armour  of  Friedrich  des  Siegreichen,  by  Tomaso  da  Missaglia,  circ.  1450;  WafFensamm- 
lung, Vienna,  No.  2.    Armour,  circ.  1460  ;  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  G,  5  .  .112 

XXXL    Portrait  medal  of  Coloman  Colman  (Helmschmied),  1470-1532.    Designs  for  saddle  steel 

and  visor,  by  Albert  Dlirer,  151 7,  from  the  Albertina,  Vienna  .  .  .  .116 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT 


The  author  desires  to  express  his  thanks  for  permission  to  reproduce 
illustrations  contained  in  this  work  to  the  following  : — 

Viscount  Dillon,  Curator  of  the  Tower  Armouries  ;  Mr.  Guy 
Laking,  m.v.o.,  King's  Armourer  ;  M.  Charles  Buttin,  Paris  ;  Mr. 
Albert  Calvert,  London  ;  The  Society  of  Antiquaries  ;  The  Archso- 
logical  Institute  ;  The  Burlington  Fine  Arts  Club  ;  The  Curators  of 
the  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris ;  and  of  the  Johanneum,  Dresden  ;  Messrs. 
Mansell  and  Co.,  Hanfstaengl,  Griggs  and  Co.,  London  ;  Sgi.  Fratelli 
Alinari,  Florence  ;  Sig.  Anderson,  Rome  ;  Herren  Teufel,  Munich  ; 
Lowy,  Vienna  (publishers  of  Boeheim's  Waffensamtnlungeti)  ;  Moeser, 
Berlin  (publishers  of  Boeheim's  Meister  der  Waffenschmiedkujist)  ; 
Christof  Miiller,  Nuremberg  ;  Seeman,  Leipzig  (publishers  of 
Boeheim's  Waffenkunde)  ;  and  Sen.  Hauser  and  Menet,  Madrid. 


WORKS  OF  REFERENCE 


AUgemeine  Zeitung.    Various  vols. 
Angellucci.    Doccumenti  inediti. 
Antiquarian  Repertory. 
Archaeologia.    Various  vols. 
ArchcEological  Journal.    Various  vols. 
Archives  Civiques  de  Lille. 
Archives  Camerales  di  Torino. 
Armourers'  Company,  London,  Records  of. 

Beckman.    History  of  Inventions.  1846. 

Belleval,  Marquis  de.    Costume  Militaire  Fran9ais  de  1445 

Boeheim.    WafFenkunde.    1 890. 

„         Meister  der  WafFenschmiedekunst.     1 897, 

,,         Articles  in  Jahrbuch  des  Kunsthist.  Sammlungen. 

Boileau,  Etienne.    Livres  des  Metiers.    Edit.  1837. 

Buff,  A.    Augsburger  Platner  Allge.  Zeit.   1 892. 

Buttin.    Notes  sur  I'Epreuve.    (Rev.  Savoisienne,  1 906,  fasc.  4.) 
,,       Le  Guet  de  Geneve,  igio. 

Calendar  of  State  Papers.    Various  entries. 
Carteggio  ined.  artisti. 

Cellini,  Benvenuto.    Arte  Fabrile,  Plon.  1883. 

„  „  Life  ,Cust.  1910. 

Chambres  des  Comptes,  Paris.    Various  entries,  1765- 
Chronique  de  Bertrand  du  Guesclin.    Edit.  1837' 
City  of  London  Letter  Books. 
Cosson,  Baron  de  : — 

Arch.  Journ.,  XXXVU.    Catalogue  of  Helmets  and  Mail. 
,,       ,,       XLL  Gauntlets. 

,,        ,,       XLVIIL      Arsenals  and  Armouries  of  Southern  Germany. 
Catalogue  of  the  Due  de  Dino's  Collection. 

Daniele,  Pere  Gabriel.    Hist,  de  la  Milice  Fran^ais.    1 72 1. 
Demmin.    Guide  des  Amateurs  d'Armes. 

XX 


WORKS  OF  REFERENCE  xxi 

Dillon,  Viscount  : — 

Archaeologia,  LI.  Arms  and  Armour  at  Westminster,  the  Tower,  and  Greenwich.  1547. 

„  LI.  Trial  of  Armour.  1590. 

,,  LVII.      Ordinances  of  Chivalry,  XV  cent. 

Arch.  Journ.,  XLIV.    The  Besague  or  Moton. 

,,        ,,       XL VI.    The  Pasguard  and  the  Volant  Piece. 
,,        ,,      LI.         An  Elizabethan  Armourer's  Album,  1590. 
,,        ,,       LV.        Tilting  in  Tudor  Times. 
,,        ,,       LX.        Armour  Notes. 
„        ,,       LXV.     Armour  and  Arms  in  Shakespeare. 
„        ,,      LXIX.    Horse  Armour. 
An  Almain  Armourer's  Album,  Introduction  and  Notes.  1905. 
Dudley,  Dud.    Metallum  Martis.  1665. 
Essenwein.    Die  Helm.  1892. 

Fauchet,  Claude.  Origines  des  Chevaliers,  etc.  1610. 
fFoulkes,  Charles  :  — 

Armour  and  Weapons.     1 909. 

Gaya's  Traite  des  Armes.  1911. 

Arms  and  Armour  at  Oxford.  1912. 

Archsologia,  LXII,  LXIII. 

Arch.  Journ.,  LXVIII. 

Burlington  Mag.    April,  1911. 

Connoisseur.    June,  Sept.,  Nov.,  1 909. 

Zeitschrift  fiir  Historische  WalFenkunde,  V.  10. 
Forestie.    Livres  des  Comptes  des  Freres  Bonis. 

Gamier.    L'Artillerie  des  Dues  de  Bourgogne. 
Gay.    Glossaire  Archeologique. 

Gaya.    Traite  des  Armes,  1687.    (Edit,  by  C.  fFoulkes.)  1911. 

Gazette  de  Beaux  Arts.    Various  articles. 

GeUi,  J.    Guida  del  Amatore  di  Armi  Antiche.     1 900. 

GeUi  and  Moretti.    I  Missaglia.    1 903. 

Giraud.    Les  Armuriers  Frangais  et  Etrangers,  1898. 

Gurhtt.    Deutschen  Turniere,  RUstungen  und  Plattner.  1889. 

Gwynne,  John.    Memoirs  of  the  Great  Civil  War.    1822  edit. 

Hastings  MS.    Ordinances  of  Chivalry.    (Archaeologia,  LVII.) 
Hefner- Altneck.    Tracten  des  Christlichen  Mittelalters.  1840. 
Herbert,  William.    Hist,  of  12  Livery  Companies  of  London.     1 8  34-7. 
Hewitt.    Ancient  Armour.  1855. 
Holinshed,  R.  Chronicles 

Jahrbuch  des  Kunsthistorische  Sammlungen  des  Allerhbchster  Kaiserhause.    Various  vols. 


xxii       THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Langey.    Discipline  Militaire. 

La  Noue.    Discours  Politiques  et  Militaires,  trans,  by  E.  A.  1587- 
Letters  and  Papers  Foreign  and  Domestic,  Record  Office.    Various  entries. 

Markham,  G.    Decades  of  Epistles  of  War.    1662.    Souldiers' Accidence.  1643. 

Memorials  of  the  Verney  Family. 

Memoires  de  la  Soc.  Arch,  de  Touraine. 

Meyrick.    Antient  Armour. 

Montgomery.    Milice  Fran^ais. 

Morigia.    Hist,  dell'  Antichita  di  Milano. 

Oliver  de  la  Marche.    Memoirs,  etc.    16 16  edit. 
Ordonnances  des  Metiers  de  Paris. 
Ordonnances  des  Rois. 

Patent  Office,  London,  Records  of. 
Pennant.    History  of  London. 

Pelegrini.    Di  un  Armajuolo  Bellunese.    Arch.  Venez.,  X. 

Rene.    Traicte  d'un  Tournoi. 
Revue  Savoisienne.    Various  vols. 

Rogers,  J.  Thorold.    History  of  Agriculture  and  Prices.  1866. 
Rymer.    Fcedera.    Various  entries. 

Saulx-Tavannes.    Mem.  rel.  a  I'hist.  de  France,  Vol.  VIIL  1866. 
Saxe,  Marshal.    Reveries.    Edit.  1756. 
Scott,  Sir  S.    History  of  the  British  Army. 
Speculum  Regale.    Edit.  1768. 

Smith,  Sir  John.    Instructions  and  Orders  Militarie.    1593'    Discourses.  1590- 
Sussex  Archsological  Journal.    Various  articles. 

Walsingham.    Historia  Anglicana,  Rolls  Series. 
Wardroom  Accounts  of  Edward  L    Soc.  of  Ant. 

Zeitschrift  fiir  Historische  WafFenkunde.    Various  articles. 

Catalogues  of  Windsor  Castle  ;  the  Tower  ;  Wallace  Collection  ;  Rotunda, Woolwich  ;  Musee  d'Artillerie, 
Paris ;  Armeria  Reale,  Turin ;  Real  Armeria,  Madrid  j  Waffisnsammlung,  Vienna ;  Zeughaus,  Berlin  ; 
Porte  de  Hal,  Brussels  ;  Historische  Museum,  Dresden  ;  Ashmolean  and  Pitt-Rivers  Museums,  Oxford  ; 
British  Museum ;  etc.  etc. 

Articles  in  various  Journals  and  Periodicals  by  Viscount  Dillon,  Baron  de  Cosson,  Burgess,  Waller,  Way, 
Meyrick,  Hewitt,  ffiaulkes,  Boeheim,  Angellucci,  Beaumont,  Buttin,  Yriarte,  Giraud. 

Various  MSS.  from  the  British  Museum ;  Bib.  Nat.,  Paris  ;  Kbnigl.  Bibliothek,  Berlin  ;  Bodleian 
Library ;  etc.  etc. 


^0  pff  ibit  EftooD^  tfjan  no  toer  toare 

Lydgate,  The  hors,  the  shepe  Ifj  the  gosse,  line  127 


THE  ARMOURER 

AND  HIS  CRAFT 


THE  ARMOURER 

THE  importance  of  the  craft  of  the  armourer  in  the  Middle 
Ages  can  hardly  be  overestimated,  for  it  is,  to  a  large  extent, 
to  the  excellence  of  defensive  armour  and  weapons  that  we  owe 
much  of  the  development  of  art  and  craftsmanship  all  over  Europe. 
The  reason  for  this  somewhat  sweeping  statement  is  to  be  found  in  the 
fact  that  up  to  the  sixteenth  century  the  individual  and  the  personal 
factor  were  of  supreme  importance  in  war,  and  it  was  the  individual 
whose  needs  the  armourer  studied.  In  the  days  when  military  organiza- 
tion was  in  its  infancy,  and  the  leader  was  endowed  by  his  followers 
with  almost  supernatural  qualities,  the  battle  was  often  won  by  the 
prowess  of  the  commander,  or  lost  by  his  death  or  disablement.  It 
would  be  tedious  to  quote  more  than  a  few  instances  of  this  importance 
of  the  individual  in  war,  but  the  following  are  typical  of  the  spirit 
which  pervaded  the  medieval  army. 

At  the  battle  of  Hastings,  when  William  was  supposed  to  have  been 
killed  he  rallied  his  followers  by  lifting  his  helmet  and  riding  through 
the  host  crying,  "I  am  here  and  by  God's  grace  I  shall  conquer!" 
The  success  of  Joan  of  Arc  need  hardly  be  mentioned,  as  it  is  an 
obvious  example  of  the  change  which  could  be  effected  in  the  spirit  of 
an  army  by  a  popular  leader.  This  importance  of  the  individual  was 
realized  by  the  leaders  themselves,  and,  as  a  safeguard,  it  was  often  the 
custom  to  dress  one  or  more  knights  like  the  sovereign  or  commander 

to  draw  off  the  attack.    At  Bosworth  field  Richmond  had  more  than 
I 


2  THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


one  knight  who  personated  him ;  Shakespeare  gives  the  number  as  five, 
for  Richard  says,  "There  be  six  Richmonds  in  the  field  ;  five  have  I 
slain  instead  of  him." 

When  the  importance  of  the  leader  is  realized  it  v^ill  be  obvious 
that  the  craft  of  the  man  who  protected  him  in  battle  was  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  the  State  ;  and  when  once  this  is  admitted,  we  may 
fairly  consider  that,  in  an  age  of  ceaseless  wars  and  private  raids,  the 
importance  of  all  the  other  applied  arts  which  followed  in  the  train  of 
a  victorious  leader  depended  to  a  very  great  extent  on  the  protection 
afforded  him  by  his  armourer/ 

It  would  be  indeed  superfluous  to  dwell  upon  the  artistic  influences 
which  may  be  traced  directly  to  the  military  operations  of  the  Assyrians, 
Greeks,  Romans,  and  at  a  later  date  the  Northern  tribes  of  Europe, 
for  every  writer  on  the  subject  bases  his  opinions  upon  this  foundation. 
In  more  modern  periods  the  conquest  of  Spain  by  the  Moors  introduced 
a  type  of  design  which  has  never  been  wholly  eradicated  from  Spanish 
Art,  and  in  our  own  country  the  Norman  Conquest  gave  us  a  dignified 
strength  of  architecture  which  would  never  have  been  established  as  a 
national  phase  of  art  if  the  victory  had  been  to  Harold  and  the  English. 
The  improvements  in  the  equipment  and  military  organization  of  the 
foot-soldier  in  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries  necessitated 
a  more  complete  style  of  defensive  armour  for  the  mounted  man,  and 
the  elaborate  leg  armour  of  plate  may  be  directly  traced  to  the  improve- 
ment in  the  weapons  of  the  former.  As  is  the  case  at  the  present  day 
in  the  navy,  the  race  between  weapon  and  defence  was  ceaseless,  each 
improvement  of  the  one  being  met  by  a  corresponding  improvement 
in  the  other,  till  the  perfection  of  the  firearm  ruled  any  form  of  defence 
out  of  the  competition.  More  peaceful  influences  were  at  work, 
however,  due  to  the  interchange  of  visits  between  European  princes  ; 
and  German  and  Italian  fashions  of  armour,  as  well  as  of  the  other 
applied  arts,  competed  with  each  other  all  over  Europe,  though  their 
adoption  may  generally  be  traced  to  a  ruler  of  note  like  Maximilian  or 
Charles  V. 

So  without  undue  exaggeration  we  may  fairly  claim  for  the  craft 
of  the  armourer  a  foremost  place  as  one  of  the  chief  influences  in  the 

^  See  Regulations  of  the  "  Heaumers,"  Appendix  B,  p.  171. 


THE  ARMOURER 


3 


evolution  of  modern  art  and,  as  such,  an  important  factor  in  the  develop- 
ment of  all  the  arts  which  follow  in  the  train  of  conquest. 

There  are  certain  essential  rules  which  must  be  observed  in  the 
practice  of  every  craft ;  but  in  most  cases  only  one  or  two  are  necessary 
for  the  production  of  good  work,  because  of  the  limitations  either  of 
the  craft  or  of  the  needs  of  those  for  whom  it  is  practised.  It  would 
be  out  of  place  to  go  through  the  various  applied  arts  and  to  consider 
^  the  rules  which  guide  them  ;  but,  on  examination  of  these  rules  as  they 
apply  to  the  craft  of  the  armourer,  it  will  be  seen  how  each  and  all 
are  essential  for  the  production  of  satisfactory  work. 

The  rules  are  these  : — 

1.  Suitability  for  purpose. 

2.  Convenience  in  use. 

3.  Recognition  of  material. 

4.  Soundness  of  constructional  methods. 

5.  Subservience  of  decoration  to  the  preceding  rules. 

It  may  be  advantageous  to  examine  these  rules  one  by  one  and 
see  how  they  are  observed  to  the  full  in  the  best  specimens  of  armour 
and  how  their  neglect  produced  inferior  work. 

I .  Suitability  for  purpose. — The  object  of  defensive  armour  was 
to  protect  the  wearer  from  attack  of  the  most  powerful  weapon  in  use 
at  the  period  when  it  was  made.  This  was  obtained  not  only  by 
thickness  of  metal,  but  also  by  so  fashioning  the  planes  of  the  metal 
that  they  presented  a  "  glancing  surface "  to  the  blow.  An  early 
example  of  this  consideration  of  the  needs  of  the  wearer  is  to  be  found 
in  the  first  additions  of  plate  to  the  suit  of  mail  which  were  made  in 
the  leg  armour  of  the  thirteenth  century  (Fig.  38).  The  reason  for  this 
was  the  increased  efficacy  of  the  weapons  of  the  foot-soldier,  who 
naturally  attacked  the  legs  of  the  mounted  man.  The  use  of  mail  was 
far  from  practical,  except  in  the  form  of  gussets  or  capes,  which  could 
not  be  made  so  conveniently  in  plate.  The  mail  armour  of  the  thirteenth 
century  was  only  a  partial  protection,  for  although  it  defended  the 
wearer  from  arrows  and  from  sword-cut  or  lance-thrust,  it  was  but 
little  protection  against  the  bruise  of  the  blow,  even  when,  as  was  always 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


the  case,  a  padded  garment  was  worn  underneath.  Up  to  the  sixteenth 
century  the  shield  was  used  for  this  reason  and  provided  a  smooth 
movable  surface  which  the  knight  could  oppose  to  the  weapon  and  thus 
present  a  glancing  surface  to  the  blow. 

An  examination  of  a  suit  of  armour  of  the  fifteenth  century  will 
show  how  this  glancing  surface  was  studied  in  every  part.  The  lames 
of  the  arm-pieces  are  overlapped  downwards  so  that  the  blow  might 
slip  off,  and  the  elbow-cop  presents  a  smooth  rounded  surface  which 
will  direct  the  blow  off  the  arm  of  the  wearer.  The  breastplate,  which 
was  at  first  simply  smooth  and  rounded,  became  in  the  sixteenth  century 
fluted  ;  and  a  practical  experiment  will  show  that  when  the  thrust  of  a 
lance — the  favourite  weapon  at  that  time — met  one  of  these  flutings  it 
was  directed  to  the  strong  ridge  at  neck  or  arm  hole  and  thence  off  the 
body  (Plate  30,  2).  The  upstanding  neck-guards,  wrongly  called 
"  passe-guards,"  were  also  intended  to  protect  the  weak  part  where 
helmet  and  gorget  met.  The  fan-plate  of  the  knee-piece  protected 
the  bend  of  the  knee,  especially  when  bent  in  riding,  the  normal  position 
of  the  mounted  man,  and  the  sollerets  were  so  fashioned  that  the  foot 
was  best  protected  when  in  the  stirrup. 

The  helm  and  helmet  are  especially  good  examples  of  the  craft  of 
the  armourer  in  this  respect.  The  early  flat-topped  helm  of  the  thirteenth 

century  was  soon  discarded^ 


because  it  was  found  that  the 
full  force  of  the  downward 
blow  was  felt,  which  was  not 
the  case  when  the  skull  of 
the  head-piece  was  pointed 
or  rounded  (Fig.  i).  A 
treatise  on  the  subject  of 
Military  Equipment  in  the 
fifteenth  century  (Appendix 
D)  distinctly  enjoins  that  the 
"  Et  les  autres  ont  la  teste 


Fig. 


The  "glancing-  surface," 

rivets  on  the  helm  should  be  filed  flat 
du  clou  limee  aflin  que  le  rochet  ny  prengne."  This  is  not  often 
found  in  existing  helms,  but  the  fact  that  it  is  mentioned  shows  that 
the  smooth  surface  of  the  helm  was  an  important  consideration.  In 


PLATE  r 


THE  ARMOURER 


5 


helms  made  for  jousting  these  considerations  were  minutely  studied 
by  the  armourer,  for  the  object  of  jousters  in  the  sixteenth  century 
was  simply  to  score  points  and  not  to  injure  each  other.  The 
occularium  of  the  jousting-helm  is  narrow  and  is  so  placed  that  it  is 
only  of  use  when  the  wearer  bends  forward  with  his  lance  in  rest. 
The  lance  was  always  pointed  across  the  horse's  neck  and  was  directed 
to  the  left  side  of  his  opponent,  therefore  the  left  side  of  the  helm  is 
always  smooth  with  no  projection  or  opening  (Fig.  2).   These  are  found. 


 — .  i — — -i — 

Thr  riitrr'!  he^dj/l.  /r^m  Iht  Till, 

TItf  tanee  \2/t.  hattd  toj'oiut. 

Thr  ridtr-s  h,ii,d jjl.  Jroni  Iht  TM. 

Fig.  2.    Position  of  lance  in  jousting  {Arch.  Jourti.,  LV). 


in  cases  where  they  occur,  on  the  right  side,  where  there  would  be  no 
chance  of  their  catching  the  lance-point.  Again,  the  skull  and  front 
plate  of  the  helm  are  generally  thicker  than  those  at  the  back,  where 
there  is  no  chance  of  a  blow  being  delivered. 

2.  Convenience  in  use. — Besides  protecting  the  fighting  man  the 
armourer  had  to  remember  that  his  patron  had  to  ride,  sometimes  to 
walk,  and  always  to  use  his  arms  with  convenience,  and  at  the  same  time 
had  to  be  protected  while  so  doing.  At  first  the  cuirass  was  made  simply 
in  two  pieces,  the  back  and  the  front  fastened  under  the  arms  with 
straps.  In  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century  each  of  these  was  made 
in  two  or  more  pieces  joined  with  a  rivet,  working  loose  in  a  slot  cut 
in  the  uppermost  of  the  plates,  so  that  a  certain  amount  of  movement 
of  the  torse  was  possible.  The  pauldrons,  which  often  appear  unneces- 
sarily large,  almost  meeting  in  front  and,  as  is  the  case  in  the  statue  of 
Colleoni  in  Venice,  crossing  at  the  back,  are  so  made  that  they  would 
protect  the  armpit  when  the  arm  was  raised  in  striking  a  blow  (Fig.  3). 
The  upper  part  of  the  arm-piece  or  rerebrace  is  made  of  overlapping 
lames  held  together  by  sliding  rivets,  which  allow  a  certain  amount  of 
play  outwards  and  forwards,  but  the  defence  becomes  rigid  if  the  arm 


6  THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


is  moved  backwards,  for  this  movement  is  not  necessary  in  delivering  a 
blow  (see  page  52).  The  arm  and  leg  pieces  are  hinged  with  metal 
hinges  on  the  outside  of  the  limb  and  fastened  with  straps  or  hooks  and 


Fig.  3.    Back  of  Pauldrons  of   A.    Statue  of  CoIIeoni,  Venice. 

B.    Missaglia  Suit,  Waffensammlung',  Vienna. 


Staples  on  the  inside.  In  most  cases  modern  theatrical  armour  errs  in 
this  respect,  for  it  is  obvious  that  if  the  straps  were  on  the  outside  the 
first  object  of  the  enemy  would  be  to  cut  them  and  render  the  armour 
useless.  The  vambrace  or  cannon  and  the  lower  portion  of  the  rere- 
brace  are  in  single  cylindrical  plates,  for  here  no  movement  is  possible 
independently  from  the  shoulder  and  elbow.  The  rerebrace,  however,  is 
generally  formed  with  a  collar  which  turns  in  a  groove  bossed  out  in  the 
upper  portion,  so  that  the  arm  can  turn  outwards  or  inwards  without 
moving  the  shoulder  (see  page  54).  The  cuisse  and  the  front  and  back 
of  the  jamb  are  for  the  same  reasons  each  made  in  one  piece,  joined  to 


1  2  3 


Fig.  4.    (i)  The  practical  solleret  at  rest  and  (2)  in  action. 
(3)  Unpractical  solleret,  late  sixteenth  century. 

the  knee-cop  and  solleret  by  narrow  lames  working  loose  on  rivets.  The 
cuisse  only  covers  the  top  part  of  the  thigh  for  convenience  on  horse- 
back, and  wherever  a  cuisse  is  found  that  protects  the  back  of  the  thigh 


THE  ARMOURER 


7 


we  may  be  sure  that  the  owner  fought  on  foot  (Plate  IX).  The  sol- 
leret  is  made  so  that  the  foot  can  move  naturally  in  walking.  The 
upper  part  is  formed  of  small  lames  working  on  loose  rivets  and  over- 
lapping downwards  towards  a  centre-plate  which  covers  the  tread  of 
the  foot ;  beyond  this  the  toe-plates  overlap  upwards  and  thus  perfect 
freedom  of  movement  is  obtained. 

The  various  forms  of  head-piece  all  more  or  less  exemplify  this  need 
of  convenience  in  use,  for  they  protected  the  head  and  at  the  same  time 
gave  as  much  opportunity  for  seeing,  hearing,  and  breathing  as  was  com-  '! 
patible  with  their  defensive  qualities.  The  armet  or  close  helmet  is 
perhaps  the  most  ingenious,  with  its  single  or  double  visor,  which  could 
be  lifted  up  so  as  to  leave  the  face  completely  exposed  till  the  moment 
of  attack,  when  it  was  closed  and  fastened  with  a  locking  hook  (Plate 
XIII).  Examples  of  the  armourer  adapting  his  work  to  the  require- 
ments of  his  patrons  are  to  be  found  in  the  globose  helm  for  fighting 
at  barriers  made  by  one  of  the  Missaglia  family  (Tower,  II,  29).  Here 
the  vision-slits  were  evidently  found  to  be  too  large  and  too  dangerous 
to  the  wearer.  An  inner  plate  was  added  with  smaller  holes  through 
which  no  weapon  used  at  barriers  could  penetrate  (Plate  X).  A 
second  example  shown  in  Fig.  14  has  a  plate  added  at  the  lower  edge 
to  increase  the  height  of  the  helm,  which  suggests  that  the  last  wearer 
had  a  longer  neck  than  the  original  owner.  This  convenience  in  use 
is  also  to  be  noticed  in  the  gauntlet,  which,  as  the  science  of  sword-play 
developed,  was  gradually  discarded  in  favour  of  a  defence  formed  of  the 
portes  or  rings  on  the  sword-hilt  (Plate  XXII).  In  jousting-armour 
there  was  only  one  position  to  be  considered,  namely,  the  position  with 
hand  on  bridle  and  lance  in  rest.  The  armourer  therefore  strove  to 
protect  his  patron  when  he  assumed  that  position  alone.  The  arm 
defences  of  jousting-armour  with  elbow-guard  and  poldermitton  would 
be  useless  if  the  wearer  had  to  raise  his  arm  with  a  sword,  but,  when  the 
lance  was  held  in  rest,  the  plates  of  the  defences  were  so  arranged  that 
every  blow  slipped  harmlessly  off.  As  the  right  hand  was  protected 
with  the  large  shield  or  vamplate  fixed  to  the  lance  a  gauntlet  for  this 
hand  was  frequently  dispensed  with,  and,  as  the  left  hand  was  only 
employed  to  hold  the  reins,  a  semi-cylindrical  plate  protected  the  hand 
instead  of  the  articulated  gauntlet  in  use  on  the  field  of  war  (Plate  I). 


8 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Horse  armour  or  "  barding  "  was  of  necessity  more  cumbrous  and 
but  little  was  attempted  beyond  the  covering  of  the  vital  parts  of  the 
body  with  plates  or  padded  trappings  (Fig.  5).    Mail  was  used  for  the 


Fig.  5.     Horse  Armour,  sixteenth  century. 


English 

chanfron 
peytral 

crinet 

pommel 

cantel 

crupper 

tail-guard 

flanchard 


French 

chanfrein 
poitrail 

criniere 

pommeau 
arcade  de  devant 
troussequin 
arcade  de  derri^re 

croupiere 

garde-queue 

flan^ois 

flanchi^re 


ross-stirn 

brust  panzer 
j  mahnen  panzer 
(  kanze 

I  sattel-knopf 

riickenstiick 

pausch 
j  krup  panzer 
I  lenden  panzer 

schwanzriem  panzer 

>  flanken  panzer 


Italian 

testiera 
pettiera 

I  collo 

primo  arcione 

j-  secondo  arcione 

I  groppa 
guardacorda 
fiancali 


Spanish 

testera 
pechera 

cuello 

pomo  del  arzon 

zaguero 

grupera 

guardamalso 

flanqueras 


whole  "  bard  "  in  the  thirteenth  century,  as  we  know  from  the  decora- 
tions in  the  "Painted  Chamber"  at  Westminster.^  It  was  still  in  use  for 
the  neck-defence  or  "crinet"  in  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
Examples  of  the  latter  are  to  be  found  in  Paris  (Plate  XXIII)  and  in  the 


1  Vetusta  Moftumenta,  VI,  and  Armour  arid  Weapons,  p.  88,  C.  ffoulkes. 


PLATE  II 


THE  ARMOURER 


9 


Wallace  Collection,  No.  620.  Some  attempt  to  make  an  articulated  suit 
was  evidently  made  ;  for  we  have  a  portrait  of  Harnischmeister  Albrecht 


Fig.  6.    Harnischmeister  Albrecht,  1480. 
From  a  painting  in  the  Arsenal,  Vienna. 


(1480)  mounted  on  a  horse  whose  legs  are  completely  covered  by  articu- 
lated plates  similar  to  those  on  human  armour  (Fig.  6).  A  portion  of 
the  leg-piece  of  this  or  of  a  similar  suit  is  in  the  Musee  Porte  de  Hal, 

2 


10  THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Brussels  (Fig.  7).  Besides  the  obvious  advantage  of  plate  armour  over 
mail  for  defensive  purposes,  it  should  be  noted  that  in  the  former  the 
weight  is  distributed  over  the  body  and  limbs,  while  with  the  latter  the 

whole  equipment  hangs  from  the  shoulders, 
with  possibly  some  support  at  the  waist. 
Hence  the  movements  of  the  mail-clad  man 
were  much  hampered  both  by  the  weight  of 
the  fabric,  and  also  by  the  fact  that  in  bending 
the  arm  or  leg  the  mail  would  crease  in  folds, 
and  would  thus  both  interfere  with  complete 
freedom  and  would  probably  produce  a  sore 
from  chafing. 

3.  Recognition  of  material.— It  would 
seem  at  first  sight  superfluous  to  give  ex- 


FiG.  7.    Cuissard  for  the  off  hock 
of  i 

Hal,  Brussels,  IV,  g. 


of  a  horse.    Mus^e  Porte  de  amplcs  of  this  whcu  Considering  armour  ; 


but  in  the  sixteenth  century,  when  the  crafts- 
man desired  to  show  off  his  technical  skill,  we  find  many  suits  made  to 
imitate  the  puffed  and  slashed  velvets  and  silks  of  civilian  dress.  A 
notable  example  of  this  is  to  be  found  on  the  famous  "  Engraved  Suit" 
made  by  Conrad  Seusenhofer  for  Henry  VIII  in  the  Tower,  in  which 
the  cloth  bases"  or  skirts  of  civilian  dress  are  imitated  in  metal  (Plates 
XII,  XXI).  The  human  form,  head  and  torse,  were  also  counter- 
feited in  metal  in  the  sixteenth  century,  with  no  great  success  from  the 
technical  point  of  view. 

4.  Soundness  of  constructional  methods. — This  rule  is  really 
contained  in  those  that  have  preceded  it,  but  some  notice  should  be 
paid  to  the  various  methods  of  fastening  different  plates  and  portions  of 
the  suit  together.  There  are  many  ingenious  forms  of  turning  hook  and 
pin  by  which  these  plates  can  be  joined  or  taken  apart  at  will  (page  55). 
The  sliding  rivet  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  these  constructional 
details.  The  lower  end  of  the  rivet  is  burred  over  the  back  of  the  lower 
plate,  and  the  upper  plate  has  a  slot  cut  of  less  width  than  the  rivet-head, 
but  sufliciently  long  to  allow  the  plate  to  move  backwards  and  forwards, 
generally  from  three-quarters  to  one  inch  (page  52). 

5.  Subservience  of  decoration  to  the  preceding  rules. — The 
best  suits  are  practically  undecorated,  but  at  the  same  time  there  are  many 


THE  ARMOURER 


which  are  ornamented  with  incised  or  engraved  lines  and  gilding  which 
do  not  detract  from  the  utility  of  the  armour.  This  last  rule  is  best 
understood  by  examples  of  the  breach  rather  than  the  observance  ;  so 
we  may  take  the  rules  in  order  and  see  how  each  was  broken  during 
that  period  known  as  the  Renaissance. 

(1)  The  "  glancing  surface  "  was  destroyed  by  elaborate  embossing, 
generally  of  meaningless  designs,  in  which  the  point  or  edge  of  a 
weapon  would  catch. 

(2)  The  convenience  was  also  impaired  by  the  same  methods,  for 
the  lames  and  different  portions  of  the  suit  could  not  play  easily  one 
over  the  other  if  each  had  designs  in  high  relief.  Plates  were  set  at 
unpractical  angles,  sometimes  overlapping  upwards,  in  which  the  weapon 
would  catch  and  would  not  glance  off  We  find  that  foot-armour 
was  made  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  with  the  lames 
all  overlapping  upwards  or  downwards,  and  with  no  centre-plate  for 
the  tread.  In  the  suit  given  to  Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  by  the  Prince 
de  joinville  in  1608  (Tower,  II,  17)  the  lames  of  the  solleret  all  over- 
lap downwards  (see  also  Fig.  4).  It  will  be  obvious  that  with  such  a 
foot-covering  it  would  be  impossible  to  walk  with  ease. 

(3)  The  observance  of  this  rule  may  be  taken  as  a  matter  of  course 
and  its  neglect  has  been  noticed  above. 

(4)  The  careless  arrangement  of  the  foot-armour,  as  mentioned  in 
No.  2,  is  an  example  of  the  disregard  of  this  rule.  Another  instance 
is  the  embossing  the  metal  of  various  parts  of  the  suit  so  as  to  simulate 
lames  or  separate  plates.  They  do  not  ornament  the  suit  and  of  course 
do  not  add  to  its  convenience  ;  they  merely  create  a  false  impression 
and  save  the  craftsman  some  labour.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the 
"  clous  perdus "  or  false  rivets,  which  are  found  in  late  suits,  doing  no 
work  in  the  construction  of  the  suit,  but  giving  an  appearance  of  con- 
structional work  which  is  lacking. 

(5)  One  has  only  to  keep  the  above  rules  in  mind  and  then  to 
examine  an  embossed  suit  by  Piccinino  or  Peffenhauser  to  see  how  this 
rule  was  broken  to  the  detriment  of  the  work  as  a  good  piece  of  crafts- 
manship, though  perhaps  the  result  may  have  increased  the  artistic 
reputation  of  the  craftsman  (Plate  XIV). 

It  should  be  noticed  that  the  craftsman  of  the  Renaissance,  in  spite 


12  THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


of  his  disregard  of  the  craft  rules,  did  not  deteriorate  as  a  worker ;  for 
some  of  the  suits  of  the  Negrolis  or  of  the  two  above-mentioned  armourers 
could  hardly  be  equalled  at  the  present  day  as  specimens  of  metal-work. 
But  his  energies  were  directed  into  different  channels  and  his  reputation 
as  an  honest  craftsman  suffered.  By  the  sixteenth  century  everything 
concerned  with  the  defensive  qualities  and  the  constructional  details  of 
armour  had  been  discovered  and  carried  to  a  high  pitch  of  perfection. 
The  craftsman  therefore  had  to  find  some  way  of  exhibiting  his  dex- 
terity. Add  to  this  the  love  of  ostentation  and  display  of  his  patron, 
one  of  the  most  noticeable  traits  of  the  so-called  Renaissance,  and  we 
find  that  by  degrees  the  old  craft-excellence  became  neglected  in  the 
advertisement  of  the  craftsman  and  the  ostentation  of  his  patron. 

In  dealing  with  the  first  rule  no  mention  was  made  of  the  defensive 
qualities  of  armour  against  firearms,  and  this  from  the  middle  of  the  six- 
teenth century  was  an  important  detail  in  the  craft  of  the  armourer.  The 
glancing  surface  was  of  some  use  ;  but  the  armed  man  could  not  afford 
to  take  chances.  So  his  equipment  was  made  to  resist  a  point-blank  shot 
of  pistol  or  arquebus.  This  will  be  noticed  with  details  as  to  the  proof 
of  armour  on  page  65.  It  was  the  fact  that  armour  was  proof  against 
firearms  which  led  to  its  disuse,  and  not  that  it  was  of  no  avail  against 
them,  as  is  the  generally  accepted  idea.  The  armourer  proved  his  work 
by  the  most  powerful  weapons  in  use,  and  by  so  doing  found  that  he 
had  to  increase  the  weight  of  metal  till  it  became  insupportable  (see 
page  117). 

In  the  days  when  travelling  was  difficult  and  the  difficulties  of  trans- 
portation great,  both  on  account  of  the  condition  of  the  roads  and  also 
because  of  the  insecurity  of  life  and  property,  due  to  national  and 
personal  wars,  it  was  but  natural  that  each  country  and  district  should 
be  in  a  large  measure  self-supporting,  especially  with  respect  to  armour 
and  weapons.  At  the  same  time,  by  degrees,  some  localities  produced 
superior  work,  either  because  they  possessed  natural  resources  or  because 
some  master  founded  a  school  with  superior  methods  to  those  of  his 
neighbours.  Thus  we  find  Milan  famous  for  hauberks,  Bordeaux^  for 
swords,  Colin  cleeves  (Cologne  halberds),  Toulouse  swords,  misericordes 
of  Versy,  chapeaux  de  Montauban  (steel  hats),  Barcelona  bucklers, 

^  Haute  Savoye,  near  Aix-les-Bains. 


/'LATE  III 


ARMOUR  OK  SK.lSMON'l)  Ob   TIROL,  Ul'T-!M! 


ARMOUR  OK  LOUIS  XIV,  liV  t;A RliAl  ;N AUS,  linis 


THE  ARMOURER 


13 


arbalests  of  Catheloigne,  and  of  course  swords  of  Solingen,  Toledo, 
and  Passau. 

The  principal  centres  for  the  making  of  armour  were  Italy  and  ' 
Germany,  and  it  is  quite  impossible  to  say  which  of  the  two  was  the 
superior  from  the  craftsman's  point  of  view.  If  anything,  perhaps  the 
German  school  favoured  a  rather  heavier  type  of  equipment,  due,  no 
doubt,  to  the  natural  characteristics  of  the  race  as  compared  with  the 
Italian,  and  also,  when  the  decadence  of  armour  began,  perhaps  the 
German  armourer  of  the  Renaissance  erred  more  in  respect  of  useless 
and  florid  ornamentation  than  did  his  Italian  rival.  But  even  here  the 
types  are  so  similar  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  discriminate.  France 
produced  no  great  armourers,  at  least  we  have  no  records  of  craft-j 
princes  such  as  the  Colmans,  the  Seusenhofers,  the  Missaglias,  or  the' 
Negrolis,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  England.  We  have  isolated 
examples  here  and  there  of  English  and  French  work,  but  we  have  no 
records  of  great  schools  in  either  country  like  those  of  Milan,  Brescia, 
Nuremberg,  Augsburg,  and  Innsbruck.  A  few  scattered  entries  from 
state  or  civic  documents  will  be  found  under  the  various  headings  of 
this  work  and  portions  of  regulations  respecting  the  trade  ;  but  of  the 
lives  of  the  craftsmen  we  know  but  little.  At  a  time  when  personal 
safety  in  the  field  was  of  the  utmost  importance,  it  can  be  easily  under- 
stood that  the  patron  would  take  no  risks,  but  would  employ  for  choice 
those  craftsmen  who  held  the  highest  repute  for  their  work,  just  as  till 
recently  the  prospective  motorist  or  airman  would  not  risk  a  home-made 
machine,  but  patronized  French  makers.  It  may  seem  strange  that  the 
local  craftsmen  did  not  attempt  to  improve  their  work  when  examples 
of  foreign  skill  were  imported  in  great  quantities  ;  but  against  this  we 
must  set  the  fact  that  the  detail  of  the  first  importance  in  the  craft  of 
the  armourer  was  the  tempering  of  the  metal  and  this  the  craftsman 
kept  a  close  secret.  We  have  various  accounts  of  secret  processes, 
miraculous  springs  of  water,  poisoned  ores,  and  such-like  which  were 
employed,  fabulously  no  doubt,  to  attain  fine  temper  for  the  metal, 
but  no  details  are  given.  It  may  be  that  the  metal  itself  was  superior 
in  some  districts,  as  witness  the  Trial  of  Armour  given  on  page  66. 
Seusenhofer  when  provided  with  inferior  metal  from  the  mines  by 
Kugler  suggested  that  it  should  be  classed  as  "Milanese,"  a  clear  proof 


14  THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Fig.  8.  Arms  of  the  Ar- 
mourers' Gild,  from 
the  church  of  Or  San 
Michele,  Florence. 


that  the  German  craftsmen,  at  any  rate,  considered  the  ItaUan  material  to 
be  inferior  to  their  own.    Little  is  known  as  to  the  production  of  the 

Florentine  armourers.    Mr.  Staley  in  his  Guilds  of 
Florence  has  unfortunately  found  little  of  importance 
under  this  heading  in  the  civic  records  of  the  city. 

The  "Corazzi  e  spadai"  of  Florence  will,  how- 
ever, be  always  known  by  their  patron  S.  George, 
whose  statue  by  Donatello  stood  outside  the  gild 
church  of  Or  San  Michele.  At  the  base  of  the 
niche  in  which  it  stood  are  carved  the  arms  given 
in  Fig.  8. 

Armourers  were  im- 
ported by  sovereigns  and 
princes  to  produce  armour 
for  their  personal  use  and  thus  to  avoid  the  diffi- 
culties of  transit,  but  they  seem  to  have  kept 
their  craft  to  themselves  and  to  have  founded 
no  school.  Henry  VIII  brought  over  the 
"  Almain  Armourers "  to  Greenwich  at  the 
beginning  of  his  reign,  but  most  of  them  went 
back  in  time  to  their  own  country,  and  few 
took  out  denization  papers.  In  1624  we  find 
that  only  one  of  the  descendants  of  these 
foreigners  was  left  and  he  resolutely  refused  to 
teach  any  one  the  "mysterie  of  plating"  (page 
188).  A  colony  of  armourers  migrated  from 
Milan  to  Arbois  towards  the  end  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  but  no  celebrated  craftsmen 
seem  to  have  joined  them  except  the  Merate 
brothers,  who  worked  for  Maximilian  and  Mary 
of  Burgundy.  It  is  difficult,  in  fact  impossible, 
to  say  which  country  led  in  the  beginnings  of 
the  armourer's  craft.  We  have  the  suit  of 
Roberto  di  Sanseverino  (Vienna,  Waffensamm- 
lung.  No.  3)  signed  with  the  mark  of  Antonio  Missaglia,  circ.  1470,  and 
we  also  have  a  statuette  by  Hans  Multscher  at  Augsburg,  circ,  1458, 


Fig.  9.     S.  George,  by  Hans 
Multscher,  1458,  Augsburg, 


THE  ARMOURER 


15 


which  represents  S.  George  in  a  suit  of  armour  of  precisely  the  same 
design  (Fig.  9).  It  should  be  noted,  however,  that  the  treatment  of  this 
figure  shows  a  strong  Italian  influence.  In  European  history  of  the 
fifteenth  century  we  have  few  records  of  German  armourers  being 
employed,  during  the  first  half,  at  any  rate,  by  the  rulers  of  other  states. 
We  know  that  Richard  Beauchamp,  Earl  of  Warwick,  travelled  in  Italy 
and  wore  armour  of  a  distinctly  Italian  style,  for  it  is  depicted  in  the 
Beauchamp  Pageants  (Fig.  10)  and  is  also  shown  on  his  magnificent 
monument  in  S.  Mary's  Church,  Warwick.  The  likeness  of  the 
armour  on  this  monument  to  that  shown  in  the  picture  of  S.  George, 
by  Mantegna,  in  the  Accademia,  Venice,  is  so 
striking  that  we  are  bound  to  admit  that  the  two 
suits  must  have  been  produced  by  the  same  master, 
and  on  comparison  with  the  suit  in  Vienna  above 
alluded  to,  that  master  must  have  been  one  of 
the  Missaglia  family.  The  Earl  of  Warwick  died 
in  1439  and  Mantegna  was  born  about  143 1, 
so  that  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  former  pur- 
chased a  suit  of  the  very  latest  fashion  when  in 
Italy,  and  that  the  latter,  realizing  the  beauty 
of  work  produced  when  he  was  but  a  boy, 
used  a  similar  suit  as  a  model  for  his  picture 
(Plate  II).  As  early  as  1398  the  Earl  of  Derby 
had  armour  brought  over  to  England  by 
Milanese  armourers,  and  by  the  year  1427  Milan 
had  become  such  an  important  factory  town  that 
it  supplied  in  a  few  days  armour  for  4000  cavalry 
and  2000  infantry. 

The  impetus  given  to  the  craft  in  Germany  was  due  to  the  interest 
of  the  young  Emperor  Maximilian,  who  encouraged  not  only  the 
armourer,  but  every  other  craftsman  and  artist  in  his  dominions.  In 
the  Weisz  Kilnig  we  find  him  teaching  the  masters  of  all  crafts  how 
best  to  do  their  own  work,  though  this  is  probably  an  exaggeration  of 
the  sycophantic  author  and  illustrator.  Still  we  are  forced  to  admit 
that  the  crafts  in  Germany  attained  to  a  very  high  level  during  his 
reign.  In  the  description  of  his  visit  to  Conrad  Seusenhofer,  the  armourer. 


Fig.  10.  Richard  Beau- 
champ, Earl  of  War- 
wick (Cot.  Jul.  E,  IV, 
F,  12  b). 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


it  is  recorded  that  the  latter  wished  to  employ  certain  devices  of  his 
own  in  the  making  of  armour,  to  which  the  young  Emperor  replied, 
"Arm  me  according  to  my  own  wish,  for  it  is  I  and  not  you  who  will 
take  part  in  the  tournament."  From  Germany  came  armour  presented 
by  the  Emperor  to  Henry  VIII,  and  it  is  clear  that  such  a  master  as 
Seusenhofer,  working  so  near  the  Italian  frontier  as  Innsbruck,  must 
have  influenced  the  Milanese  work,  just  as  the  Milanese  in  the  first 
instance  influenced  the  German  craftsmen.  With  the  succession  of 
Charles  V  to  the  thrones  of  Spain  and  Germany  we  find  a  new  impetus 
given  to  German  armourers.  In  Spain  there  seems  to  have  been  a 
strong  feeling  in  favour  of  Milanese  work,  and  the  contest  between  the 
two  schools  of  craftsmen  was  bitter  in  the  extreme.  So  personal  did 
this  feud  become  that  we  find  Desiderius  Colman  in  1552  making  a 
shield  for  Charles  V  on  which  the  maker  is  represented  as  a  bull 
charging  a  Roman  soldier  on  whose  shield  is  the  word  "  Negrol,"  a 
reference  to  the  rivalry  between  the  Colmans  and  the  Negrolis  of  Milan 
(Plate  XXIV).  With  the  demand  for  decorated  armour  the  rivalry 
between  the  two  centres  of  trade  increased,  and  there  is  little  to  choose 
between  the  works  of  the  German  and  Italian  craftsmen,  either  in  the 
riotous  incoherence  of  design  or  in  the  extraordinary  skill  with  which 
it  was  produced  and  finished. 

From  entries  in  the  State  Papers  preserved  in  the  Record  Office,  it 
would  seem  that  Milanese  armourers  were  employed  by  Henry  VIII 
during  the  first  years  of  his  reign.  By  the  year  15 15  the  Almain  or 
German  armourers  from  Brussels  had  evidently  taken  their  place,  for 
they  are  entered  as  king's  servants  with  liveries.  Only  one  Milanese 
name  is  found  in  the  list  of  armourers,  Baltesar  BuUato,  1532,  so  that 
it  is  clear  that  Henry,  owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  influence  of  Maximilian, 
had  definitely  committed  himself  to  German  armour  as  opposed  to 
Italian.  England  seems  to  have  remained  faithful  to  this  German 
influence,  but  her  rulers  and  nobles  never  indulged  in  the  exaggerated 
and  over- elaborate  productions  which  held  favour  in  Spain  and  Germany, 
a  fact  which  is  noticeable  even  at  the  present  day,  when  the  so-called 
"Art  Nouveau"  disfigures  many  German  and  Italian  cities  but  has  never 
obtained  a  serious  foothold  in  England.  Simplicity  and  practicality 
were  always  the  chief  features  in  English  armour.    The  few  known 


PL. 


VENUS  AND  VUI.CAN.     XllI  CKNT. 

IIEKLIN,   KONIGU  BUS.  CODEX  MS.  CiEKM.  282,  79 


THE  ARMOURER 


17 


Fig.  13.    The  Fogge  Helm,  Ashford,  Sussex. 
24  lb. 


Fig.  14.    The  Barendyne  Helm,  Great  Haseley* 
Oxon.     13  lb.  8  oz. 


18         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


specimens  of  English  work  of  the  late  fifteenth  and  early  sixteenth 
centuries,  the  jousting-helms  at  Westminster,  Woolwich,  Ashford, 
Petworth,  and  the  Wallace  Collection,  are  examples  of  this,  and  the 
armour  of  later  years  has  the  same  qualification  (Figs,  ii— 14).  Even 
the  suits  of  Topf,  who  worked  in  England  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth 
century  and  produced  the  magnificent  work  that  is  shown  at  the  Tower, 
Windsor,  and  elsewhere,  the  designs  for  which  are  contained  in  an  album 
in  the  Art  Library  at  South  Kensington,  are  marked  by  a  restraint 
which  is  not  found  in  the  works  of  Piccinino  and  Peffenhauser.  The 
decoration  never  impairs  the  utility  of  the  armour,  and  the  designs  are 
always  those  suitable  for  work  in  tempered  steel,  and  are  not  in  any 
way  suggestive  of  the  goldsmith's  work  of  his  foreign  contemporaries. 
In  the  English  national  collections  we  have  but  little  eccentric  armour, 
which  is  so  common  in  Continental  museums;  all  is  severe  and  yet 
graceful,  practical  even  if  decorated,  a  tribute  to  the  characteristics  of 
the  English  race  of  fighting  men. 

The  ornamentation  of  armour  with  gilding  had  obtained  such  a  firm 
hold  that  in  the  seventeenth  century  James  II  was  obliged  to  make  an 
exception  in  its  favour  in  his  proclamation  against  the  use  of  ''gold  and 
silver  foliate,"  an  extract  of  which  is  given  in  Appendix  I,  page  187. 
In  discussing  the  craft  of  the  armourer  it  should  be  remembered  that 
we  can  only  base  our  conclusions  on  the  scattered  entries  of  payments, 
inventories,  and  other  documents  in  State  or  private  collections,  and  by 
examination  of  suits  which  have  been  preserved  in  the  armouries  and 
collections  of  Europe  and  England.  These  suits  represent  but  a  very 
small  percentage  of  the  large  stores  of  armour  of  all  kinds  which  must 
have  been  in  existence  at  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
it  is  only  the  fine  and  exceptional  examples  which  have  survived.  The 
material  was  so  costly  in  the  making  that  it  was  made  and  remade  over 
and  over  again ;  which  will  account  for  the  absence  of  complete  suits  of 
the  fourteenth  century  and  the  scarcity  of  those  of  the  fifteenth  and 
sixteenth  centuries  now  in  existence.  Occasionally  we  have  local  collec- 
tions which  give  us  a  suggestion  of  what  the  standing  armoury  must 
have  been,  such  as  the  armour  stores  at  Gratz,  Zurich,  the  collection 
of  helmets  and  armour  found  in  the  castle  of  Chalcis,^  and  village 

1  Charles  fFoiilkes  "  Iralian  Armour  at  Chalcis,"  Archaologia,  LXII, 


THE  ARMOURER 


19 


armouries  like  that  at  Mendlesham,  Suffolk.  Two  examples  of  the 
treatment  of  armour  must  suffice.  In  the  Inventory  of  the  Tower, 
taken  in  33  Hen.  VI,  1455,  is  the  entry:  "  Item  viij  habergeons  some 
of  Meleyn  and  some  of  Westewale  of  the  which  v  of  Melyn  were 
delyv'ed  to  the  College  of  Eyton  and  iij  broken  to  make  slewys  and 
voyders  and  ye's."  Here  clearly  the  hauberk  is  cut  up  and  used  to 
make  sleeves  and  gussets,  which  were  more  useful  when  the  complete 
plate  body-defences  had  come  into  fashion  than  the  shirt  of  mail.  This 
is  also  another  example  of  the  competition  between  Milan  and  Germany 
(Westphalia)  in  the  matter  of  armour-making.  As  an  example  of  the 
other  reason  for  the  absence  of  armour  in  national  and  private  collec- 
tions in  any  great  quantities,  we  may  cite  Hearne's  account  of  his  visit 
to  Ditchley,  given  in  his  Remains  under  the  date  1 7 1 8.  He  says :  In 
one  of  the  outhouses  I  saw  strange  armour  which  belonged  to  the 
ancestors^  of  the  Earl  of  Litchfield,  some  of  the  armour  very  old." 
In  the  steward's  accounts  of  but  a  few  weeks  later  Viscount  Dillon  has 
discovered  an  entry,  "  received  of  Mr.  Mott,  the  brazier  for  the  old 
armour  wayed  i^cwt.  i  qr.  21  lb.  at  los.  the  cwt.  ^7.  4.  6."  The 
saddles  had  been  previously  cut  up  to  nail  up  the  fruit  trees.^  From 
the  weight  of  armour  sold  there  were  probably  about  twenty  suits,  some 
of  which  must  certainly  have  been  of  value,  possibly  one  or  more  of 
the  missing  suits  designed  by  Topf  for  Sir  Henry  Lee  and  illustrated 
in  the  Almain  Armourer  s  Albiitn  now  in  the  South  Kensington  Art 
Library.  It  can  be  readily  understood  that  when  the  historic  or  artistic 
value  of  armour  was  not  appreciated  it  was  a  cumbrous  and  useless 
possession,  which  soon  deteriorated  if  not  kept  clean  and  bright,  and 
therefore  it  was  melted  down  just  as  are  the  broken  stoves  and  domestic 
ironmongery  which  litter  the  rubbish-heaps  to-day.  We  find  interesting 
examples  of  the  application  of  munitions  of  war  to  peaceful  purposes  in 
the  use  of  sword-pommels  as  weights  for  steelyards,  helmets  for  buckets 
and  scale-bowls,  and  portions  of  body  armour  cut  up  and  fashioned  into 
lock-covers  in  the  Stibbert  Museum,  Florence,  in  the  collection  of  the 
Marchese  Peruzzi,  and  elsewhere.'^  Even  as  late  as  the  year  1887  the 
value  of  armour  was  not  realized,  for  in  that  year  two  half-suits,  stamped 

*  Sir  Henry  Lee.  ^  jirch.  Jourtu,  June,  1 895. 

^  Sir  Thomas  Gresham^s  steelyard  in  the  London  Museum  is  decorated  with  portions  of  sword  hihs. 


20         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


with  the  college  mark,  were  sold  from  New  College,  Oxford,  as  old  iron 
{^tArms  and  Arjnour  m  Oxford^  C.  ffoulkes). 

State  and  civic  records  have  frequent  entries  of  regulations  and 
disputes  connected  with  the  various  craft-gilds,  and  the  armourers 
were  no  exception.  The  right  of  search  was  a  privilege  jealously 
guarded,  for  it  prevented  the  competition  of  those  outside  the  gild  and 
was  also  a  check  against  foreign  competition,  which  was  always  a  thorn 
in  the  side  of  the  armourer.  Every  country  enacted  laws  against  im- 
portation of  arms,  and  yet  for  really  fine  work  every  country  had  to 
look  to  Italy  or  Germany.  But  this  was  probably  the  case  only  among 
the  richest,  and  it  is  the  elaborate  workmanship  on  the  armour  which 
has  ensured  the  survival  of  many  suits  of  this  type.  The  ordinary 
hosting  or  war-harness  was  made  quite  as  well  in  England  as  elsewhere ; 
just  as  the  Englishwoman  of  to-day  can  be  dressed  as  well  in  London 
as  in  Paris ;  but,  if  she  can  afford  it,  elects  to  pay  large  sums  for  the 
cachet  of  the  Parisian  name.  With  regard  to  the  documents  bearing 
on  the  life  of  individual  armourers,  we  have  such  records  as  wills,  registers 
of  baptisms  and  marriages,  and  also  trade  accounts  and  bills.  In  the  latter 
the  armourer  seems  to  have  been  no  better  off  than  the  painter  or 
sculptor  of  the  Middle  Ages  and  Renaissance.  He  was  always  in 
financial  difficulties  and  was  ceaselessly  pressing  his  patron  for  payment. 
An  example  of  this  is  given  on  page  59,  where  we  find  that  W. 
Pickering  was  paid  £200  in  16 14,  the  balance  of  his  bill  for  ^340, 
for  a  suit  made  for  Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  who  died  in  1 6 1 2  ;  so  that 
he  had  to  wait  at  least  two  years  before  he  received  the  whole  amount. 
Conrad  Seusenhofer  suffered  in  the  same  way  and  his  life  was  one  long 
struggle  with  Maximilian  and  the  Diet  for  payments  for  his  work.  The 
armourer,  however,  had  the  advantage  over  his  fellow- craftsmen ;  for 
when  a  war  or  a  tournament  was  imminent  he  made  his  own  terms  and 
refused  delivery  till  he  had  received  payment. 

The  craft  of  the  armourer  merits  far  more  study  than  has  hitherto 
been  bestowed  upon  it,  for  in  its  finest  examples  it  fulfils  all  the  essential 
laws  of  good  craftsmanship  to  the  uttermost.  Added  to  this  the  works 
of  the  armourer  have  what  may  be  called  a  double  personal  interest. 
In  the  first  place,  they  are  the  actual  wearing  apparel  of  kings,  princes, 
and  other  persons  of  note,  made  to  their  measure  and  often  exhibition 


ANVIL.     XIV  CENT. 

IN  THE  POSSESSION  OF  MME.  IlELLON,  AVrGNON 


THE  ARMOURER 


21 


some  peculiarity  of  their  owner.  Owing  to  the  perishable  nature  of 
fabrics  but  little  of  wearing  apparel  has  survived  to  us  of  the  periods 
anterior  to  the  seventeenth  century,  and  therefore  the  suit  of  armour  is 
most  valuable  as  an  historical  record,  especially  when  taken  in  conjunc- 
tion with  portraits,  historical  paintings,  and  sculpture.  In  addition  to 
this  we  have  the  personality  of  the  maker.  The  boldly  grooved  breast- 
plate, the  pauldrons,  and  the  wide  elbow-cops  of  the  Missaglia,  the 
distinctive  hook  for  the  armet  which  appears  only  on  Topf  suits  can  be 
recognized  at  once,  and  besides  this  we  have  the  poinqo7z  or  signature 
of  the  craftsman,  which  it  is  almost  impossible  to  imitate,  and  which  at 
once  proclaims  the  authorship  of  the  armour. 

The  whole  subject  of  the  armourer  and  his  craft,  his  limitations,  his 
success  at  his  best  period,  and  his  decadence  in  later  years  can  be  best 
summed  up  in  the  illustration  given  on  Plate  III.  Here  we  have  the 
graceful  and  light  yet  serviceable  suit  of  Sigismond  of  Tirol,  made  by  an 
unknown  armourer  about  the  year  1470,  placed  side  by  side  with  the 
cumbrous  defence  made  for  Louis  XIV  by  Garbagnus  of  Brescia  in 
1668.  Though  this  craftsman  must  have  had  fine  work  by  his  forefathers 
at  hand  to  study,  and  though  the  other  arts  and  crafts  were  tending 
towards  a  light  and  flowing,  if  meaningless,  style  of  design,  the  craft  of 
the  armourer  had  by  this  time  reached  a  depth  of  sheer  utilitarian  ugli- 
ness which  was  never  equalled  even  in  the  most  primitive  years  of  its 
history. 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC 


THE  tools  used  by  the  armourers  of  all  nations  differ  but  little 
from  the  implements  of  the  blacksmith  and,  as  will  be  seen  in 
considering  the  various  inventories  that  survive,  these  have 
scarcely  varied  in  form  during  the  centuries.  When  once  invented  the 
hammer,  the  anvil,  the  vice,  the  chisel,  and  the  pincers  are  open  to  but 
few  improvements,  and  even  with  the  advent  of  steam  and  mechanical 
power,  the  functions  of  the  tool  remain  and  are  simply  guided  by  a 
machine  instead  of  by  the  hand. 

The  chief  work  of  the  armourer  was  the  beating  out  of  plates  from 
the  solid  ingot  of  metal  and  therefore  we  find  that  all  illustrations  deal- 
ing with  this  craft  show  the  workmen  engaged  in  this  operation.  When 
once  the  rough  shape  of  the  piece  was  obtained  a  great  deal  of  the  work 
was  done  when  the  metal  was  cold,  as  will  be  seen  from  examination  of 
the  illustrations. 

When  the  craft  of  the  armourer  became  important  and  when  a  large 
trade  was  done  in  these  munitions  of  war,  it  was  found  more  convenient 
to  have  the  plates  beaten  out  in  special  mills  before  they  were  handed 
over  to  the  armourer  to  make  up  into  armour.  These  battering-mills 
are  noticed  on  pages  35,  188. 

In  many  instances  they  were  probably  owned  by  the  armourers  and 
were  often  under  the  same  roof;  but  the  fact  that  we  find  hammermen, 
millmen,  platers,  and  armourers  mentioned  together  in  records  and  bills 
of  payment  to  armouries  seems  to  suggest  that  they  had  different  duties 
assigned  to  them. 

That  the  work  of  the  plater  was  quite  distinct  fi-om  that  of  the 
armourer  in  the  sixteenth  century  we  gather  from  entries  in  the  State 
Papers  Domestic,  and  in  the  reign  of  James  I,  which  will  be  discussed 
more  fully  farther  on  in  this  chapter. 

The  earliest  European  illustration  of  an  armourer  at  work  at  present- 
known  is  to  be  found  in  the  thirteenth-century  Aeneid  of  Heinrich  von 
Waldec  (codex  MS.  Germ.  fol.  282,  p.  79)  in  the  Konigl.  Bib.  Berlin 

22 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC. 


23 


(Plate  IV).  From  the  fact  that  the  armourer  (Vulcan)  is  holding  the 
helm  with  pincers  we  may  infer  that  he  is  working  it  hot.  The  anvil  as 
shown  in  this  miniature  (Plate  IV)  is  square  and  of  primitive  form  and 
would  seem  to  be  quite  useless  for  the  work,  but  this  may  be  due  to  the 
inexperience  of  the  artist.  The  hammer,  however,  is  carefully  drawn 
and  is  evidently  from  some  real  example  in  which  the  face  is  rounded  in 
a  slightly  convex  form  and  the  toe  ends  in  a  small  blunted  point  which 
may  be  for  riveting  small  objects  or  for  making  small  bosses. 

In  the  fifteenth  century  we  find  more  care  as  to  details  and  more 
operations  shown  in  the  illustration  on  the  same  plate,  taken  from  a 
miniature  by  Boccace  in  Les  Clercs  et  Nobles  Femmes  (Bib.  Reg.  i6,  G, 
v.  fol.  1 1)  in  the  British  Museum.  Here  we  have  several  men  at  work 
under  the  superintendence  of  a  lady  who  is  generally  supposed  to  be  the 
Countess  Matilda,  while  their  labours  are  enlivened  by  a  flute-player. 
The  man  at  the  bench  appears  to  be  putting  together  a  defence  com- 
posed of  circular  plates  laced  to  a  leather  or  linen  foundation  which 
strongly  resembles  the  culet  of  so-called 
"  penny  plate  "  armour  in  the  Tower  (III, 
358).  The  helm-smith  is  working  on  a 
bascinet  which  he  holds  with  pincers,  but 
he  is  using  the  toe  of  the  hammer  and  not 
the  face,  which  hardly  seems  a  likely  opera- 
tion. He  holds  the  helmet  on  a  helmet-stake 
which  probably  has  a  rounded  surface  for 
finishing  off  the  curves.  The  seated  man  is 
perhaps  the  most  interesting  figure,  for  he 
is  a  rare  example  of  a  mail-maker  at  work, 
closing  up  the  rings  with  a  pair  of  pincers. 
Up  to  the  present  we  have  no  definite  idea 
as  to  how  the  intricate  operation  of  mail- 
making  was  accomplished  so  as  to  turn  out 
rapidly  coats  of  mail.  It  is  probable  that 
some  form  of  pincer  was  used  which  pierced  the  flattened  ends  of  the  ring 
and  closed  up  the  rivet  when  inserted.  Possibly  investigations  in  the 
East,  where  mail  is  still  made,  may  throw  some  light  upon  the  subject.^ 

^  The  present  writer  is  commissioning  research  to  this  end  in  Syria,  where  the  craft  still  survives. 


Fig.  15.  The  Mail-maker  (from  Jost 
Amman's  Stande  unci  Hmidwerker), 
circ.  1590. 


24         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


The  illustration  by  lost  Amman  (Fig.  i  5)  certainly  shows  the  craftsman 
using  a  punch  and  hammer  for  his  work  and  the  only  other  tool  shown 
is  a  pair  of  shears.  Mail  was  in  use  up  to  the  first  years  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  so  we  may  be  sure  the  artist 
drew  his  figure  from  life. 

Few  of  the  actual  tools  of  the  armourer 
survive  to  us  at  the  present  day.  In  the 
Burges  Bequest  in  the  British  Museum  is  a 
fine  anvil  decorated  with  figures  of  saints  in 
relief  of  the  sixteenth  century,  which  appears 
to  have  been  used  by  a  craftsman  dealing 
with  metal  in  plates  or  sheets,  for  the  face  of 
the  anvil  is  burred  over  in  a  manner  that 
would  not  be  the  case  if  the  smith  had 
worked  with  bars  or  rods,  the  usual  mate- 
rials of  the  blacksmith.  In  the  same  case 
is  a  pair  of  armourer's  pincers  which  re- 
semble the  multum  in  paryo  tools  of  to- 
day, for  they  include  hammer,  wire-cutter,  nail-drawer,  and  turnscrew 
(Plate  V).  A  similar  pair  of  pincers  exists  in  the  Rotunda  Museum, 
Woolwich  (XVI,  200).  In  the  Wallace  Collection  (No.  88)  is  an 
armourer's  hammer  of  the  sixteenth  century  with  a  faceted  copper  head, 
the  reason  for  which  was  probably  the  need  for  avoiding  scratching  the 
surface  when  finishing  a  piece.  In  the  same  collection  is  a  finely 
decorated  farrier's  hammer  (1002),  which  also  includes  a  nail-drawer 
and  turn-nut.  The  handle  is  inlaid  with  brass  and  mother-of-pearl  and 
is  decorated  with  engravings  of  S.  George  and  a  musketeer  of  about 
1640.  A  decorated  anvil  and  vice  which  were  catalogued  as  those  of 
an  armourer,  the  property  of  Mr.  Ambrose  Morell,  were  exhibited  in  the 
Metropolitan  Museum,  New  York,  in  1 9 1 1 ,  but  from  the  form  and  size 
of  the  tools  they  would  appear  to  have  been  rather  those  of  the  silver- 
smith than  of  the  armourer.  Jost  Amman's  "Armourer"  (Fig.  16)  calls 
for  no  special  notice,  as  no  tools  are  shown  in  the  workshop,  and  is  merely 
of  interest  as  being  included  in  this  Book  of  Trades^  published  in  i  590. 

The  earliest  inventory  containing  armourers'  tools  is  found  in  the 
archives  of  the  city  of  Lille.    It  is  dated  1302  and  refers  to  the  efl^ects 


Fig.  16.    The  Armourer  (from  the  same 
source  as  Fig.  15). 


MAXIMILIAN  AND  HIS  ARMOURER,  CONRAD  SKUSENHOKKR 

FROM  THE  WEISZ   k'i  NK, 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC. 


25 


of  the  Constable  de  Nesle  in  the  Hotel  de  Soissons,  Paris.  The  inventory 
is  a  long  one  and  includes  many  interesting  details  of  furniture,  fabrics, 
and  armour.    That  portion  relating  to  the  tools  runs  as  follows : — 

Arch.  Dept.  du  Nord.    Fonds  de  la  Chambre  des  Comptes  de  Lille.,  No.  440 1 . 
Une  englume  et  fos  a  souffler    Ix  s. 

Unes  tenailes  bicournes,  i  martel  et  menus  instruments  de  forge  xiii  s.  vi  d. 
Item  unes  venterieres  v  s. 

xxxviii  fers  faites    xii  s.  viii  d. 

„    sas  a  cleus,  tenons  environs  v  sommes    xxi  1.  v  s, 

„    xiii  douzaines  de  fer  de  Bourgoyne    xxii  s.  vi  d. 

Another  early  inventory  is  that  of  Framlingham  Castle,  Norfolk, 
of  the  year  1308  : — 

ix  capellae  ferratae    at  iv  s. 

iii  vices  ad  eandem  tendentes    at  ii  s. 

The  earliest  complete  English  inventory  of  tools  connected  with 
the  craft  of  the  armourer  occurs  in  the  Accounts  of  the  Constable  of 
Dover  Castle.    Two  separate  lists  are  given  at  different  dates,  which 
may  be  studied  with  more  convenience  if  placed  side  by  side  : — ^ 


Dec.  20.    17  Fdw.  Ill,  1344. 

Item  in  Fabrica. 

ij  maides^ 
ij  bicorn^ 

iij  martellos  magnos 
iij  martellos  parvos 

ij  tenaces  magnas' 

V  tenaces  parvas^ 

ij  instrumenta  ad  ferram  cinendum^ 
iiij  instrumenta  ferrea  ad  claves  in- 
ficiendos^ 
ij  paria  flaborum^ 
j  folour  de  ferro^ 

j  mola  de  petra  versatilis  pro  ferreo 

acuendo^" 
ij  ligamina  de  ferreo  pro 
j  buketto^^ 


Jan.  26.    35  Edw.  Ill,  1361. 
En  la  Forge. 

ij  andefeltes  de  fer^ 

j  andefelte  debruse 

j  bikore^ 
iij  slegges* 
iiij  hammcres 

vj  paires  tanges  dount  deux  grosses 
iiij  pensons  febles'^ 
iij  nailetoules  per  clause  en  icels  fair" 
iij  paire  bulghes  dount  une  nouvell* 

j  peer  moler^° 

ij  fusels  de  feer  aicele" 

j  paire  de  wynches^^  as  meme  la  peer 

j  trow  de  peer  pur  ewe" 

j  hurthestaf  de  feer^^ 

j  cottyngyre^" 

j  markingyre"  une  cable  vels  etpourz 


^  Anvils. 

^  Bickiron. 

*  Sledge-hammer. 

*  Pincers  and  tongs. 

4 


^  Arch.  Jottrn.,  XI,  380. 
"  Tools  for  closing  rivets.  Grindstone. 

Shears.  Spindles  (?). 

^  Bellows.  ^-  Bucket-hoops. 

"  Rammer  (bellows  ?).  Winches. 


Stone  water-trough. 
^5  Hearth-stick,  poker. 

Cutting-iron,  shears  or  cold-chisel. 
Marking-iron, 


26         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


All  the  above  tools  are  in  use  at  the  present  day,  except  perhaps 
the  ^'nailetoules"  for  closing  the  rivets,  and,  as  has  been  stated  above, 
if  we  could  but  discover  v^hat  this  implement  w^as  we  might  find  that 
it  is  also  used  at  the  present  day  for  some  other  purpose.  The  nearest 
approach  to  such  a  tool  is  the  eyelet-hole  maker  and  riveter  used  by 
bootmakers.  The  "  bicornes "  are  still  known  to-day  as  bickirons. 
They  are  small  anvils  with  long  horns  which  are  used  when  riveting 
tubes  or  turning  over  long  pieces  of  metal.  It  is  a  little  uncertain  as 
to  whether  the  "  folour  "  derives  its  name  from  the  same  root  as  the 
modern  French  "  fouloir,"  a  "  rammer,"  or  from  the  Latin  follis," 
bellows."  The  former  would  seem  more  probable,  as  it  was  made  of 
iron.  The  "  fusels  de  feer  aicele  "  present  some  difficulty,  but  they 
may  be  taken  to  be  spindles  of  some  kind,  possibly  for  the  grind- 
stones. The  '^wynches"  explain  themselves,  but  the  addition  of  "as 
meme  la  peer  "  is  not  so  clear,  for  from  the  next  item  peer  "  evidently 
means  "  stone,"  for  it  is  a  trough  of  stone  for  water  ;  at  the  same  time 
the  word  "  pair  "  is  often  written  "  peer  "  at  this  period,  so  it  may  refer 
to  a  pair  of  winches.  The  bellows,  shears,  and  grindstone  call  for  no 
special  comment,  but  the  "  hurthestaff "  presents  some  difficulty.  It 
would  seem  to  be  derived  from  the  word  "  hearth "  or  "  berth,"  in 
which  case  it  would  probably  be  a  long  iron  rod,  rake,  or  poker,  used 
for  tending  the  forge-fire.  This  seems  to  be  borne  out  in  the  inven- 
tory of  1 5 14,  where  it  is  spelt  "  harth  stake."  The  "  cottyngyr  "  and 
"markingyre  "  may  be  found  in  every  blacksmith's  shop  to-day  as  cold- 
chisels  and  marking-iron. 

The  next  entry  bearing  upon  the  subject  of  tools  and  workshop 
requirements  is  found  in  an  Inventory  under  Prhy  Seal  of  Henry  VI ^ 
dated  1485,  at  which  time  John  Stanley,  of  Wyrall,  Cheshire,  was 
Sergeant  of  the  Armoury  of  the  Tower. ^  Here  we  find  the  following 
items  recorded  : — 


it'm  ij  yerds  iij  q'ters  of  corse  rede  sylke 
It'm  d'yerds  d'q'reters  of  rede  vele  wet 
It'm  iiij  grosses  of  poyntes^ 
It'm  vj  armyng  nales^ 
It'm  hamer,  j  bequerne,  j  payr  of  pynsonys,  iij  pounde  of  wyre 
which  was  sold  by  Mastr,  Wylliam  Fox  armerer 

*  Archaologia,  XIV,  1 23  ;  also  Meyrick,  Atitient  Armour^  II,  II9.        ^  See  page  I09.        ^  Rivets. 


All  splendid  and  moch 
more  to  coom  of  the 
king's  barneys 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC 


27 


The  bequerne  "  is  the  same  as  the  "  bicorn  "  mentioned  in  the 
Dover  Castle  inventory. 

In  the  earher  periods  we  have  no  records  as  to  the  material  used 
or  the  quantities  required.  It  is  only  when  we  come  to  the  sixteenth 
century  that  we  find  detailed  accounts  kept  to  assist  our  investigations 
respecting  the  making  of  armour. 

The  next  inventory  worthy  of  note  contains  a  list  of  payments  made 
to  John  Blewbery,  who  was  in  charge  of  the  workshops  in  3  Henry 
VIII,  1 5 14. 

'Public  Record  Office. 

xviii  September  Also  payde  by  Owre  Commandement  to  John  Blewbery 
for  the  new  fForge  at  Greenwiche  made  for  the 
Armarers  of  Brussells  these  peces  ensuynge. 


s. 

d. 

-a  WPP 

IV 

a.  greate  bekehorne 

Ix 

a  smalle  bekehorne 

xvi 

a  peyre  of  bellowes 

XXX 

a  pype  stake^ 

iii 

iv 

a  Creste  stake' 

iv 

a  vysure  stake^ 

iv 

a  hanging  pype  stake* 

iv 

iv 

a  stake  for  the  hedde  pecys'^ 

V 

ii  curace  stakes*' 

X 

iv  peyre  of  Sherys^ 

xl 

iii  platynge  hamers^ 

viii 

iii  hamers  for  the  hedde  pecys 

V 

a  creste  hamer  for  the  hedde  peces 

XX 

ii  hamers 

ii 

viii 

ii  greve  hamers^ 

iii 

iv 

a  meeke  hamer^" 

xvi 

ii  pleyne  hamers 

ii 

ii  platynge  hamers 

ii 

ii  chesels  wt.  an  halve 

viii 

a  creste  hamer  for  the  curace 

xii 

ii  Rewetinge  hamers" 

xvi 

a  boos  hamer^^ 

xii 

xi  ffylys^^ 

xi 

^  Round-horned  anvil  for  making  tubes.  ®  For  the  cuirass.  {?) 

^  For  beating  up  a  helmet-crest.  ^  Shears.  Riveting-hammer. 

^  For  visors.  ^  Heavy  hammers.  Embossing-hammer. 

*  Uncertain.  ^  Hammers  for  greaves.  Files. 

^  Helmet-stake. 


28 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


a  payre  of  pynsors 

ii  payre  of  tongs 

a  harth  stake^ 

ii  chesels  &  vi  ponchons 

a  watr.  trowgh 

a  temperinge  barrelle 

one  Andevyle 

vi  stokks  to  set  the  Tolys 

xvi  dobles  at  xvi  d  every  doble 

xviii  quarters  of  Colys 

in  alle 


11 


XX 
X 

xxi 
vi 


d. 

xviii 
xvi 
vi 

xviii 
xii 


IV 

ix 


xiii  li.  xvi  s. 


XI 


Here  we  find  the  outfit  more  elaborate  than  that  scheduled  at 
Dover.  The  various  "  stakes "  in  use  show  that  there  were  special 
appliances  for  making  every  part  of  the  armour,  both  as  regards  the 
anvils  and  the  hammers.  The  "halve"  with  the  two  chisels  is,  of 
course,  the  haft  or  handle,  which  could  be  fitted  to  either.  The  "  vi 
stokks  to  set  the  Tolys  "  are  presumably  handles  in  which  the  tools  were 
fixed.  The  "ponchons  "  are  punches  used  in  the  repousse  work.  The 
"  xvi  dobles  "  were  probably  heavy  iron  models  on  which  the  various 
pieces  were  shaped.  Two  specimens  in  the  Tower  (a  morion,  IV,  227, 
and  a  breastplate.  III,  209),  are  considered  by  the  present  Curator  to  be 
dobles,  for  they  are  cast  and  not  wrought,  are  far  too  heavy  for  actual 
use,  and  have  no  holes  for  rivets  or  for  attaching  the  lining. 

In  the  illustration  given  on  Plate  VI,  taken  from  Hans  Burgmair's 
Weisz  Kunig^  many  of  these  tools  are  shown  in  use.  The  engraving 
was  produced  by  an  artist  who  was  also  a  designer  of  armour,  so  they 
would  certainly  be  correctly  drawn.  The  various  small  stakes  are  all 
in  use  and  all  the  work  is  being  done  with  the  metal  cold,  for  the  men 
are  holding  it  with  their  hands.  This  working  of  the  cold  metal  tends 
to  compress  the  crystals  and  to  make  the  metal  hard,  and  is  more  than 
once  alluded  to  in  works  upon  armour.  Gaya,  in  his  Traite  des  armes^ 
mentions  this  detail,  and  again  Jean  de  Saulx-Tavannes^  mentions 
"  cuirasses  battues  a  froid"  when  speaking  of  armour  of"  proof,"  which 
is  also  noticed  in  the  present  work  under  that  heading. 

1  Poker. 

2  Reprint  (Clar.  Press,  Oxon,  1911),  edited  by  Charles  fFoulkes. 

3  Mem.  rel.  h  Vhist.  de  France  (Paris,  1 866),  p.  19I,  col.  I. 


ARMOUR  OF  K.URFURST  MORITZ.     liV  MATTHAUS  FRAUENl'RKIS,  1548 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC.  29 

The  following  extracts  from  various  books  and  documents  relate  to 
the  tools  and  appliances  of  the  armourer  : — 

1278.  Roll  of  Expenses  for  a  'Tournament  in  Windsor  Park. 

It  qualibet  cresta       j  per  chaston 

These  chastones  or  clavones  were  rivets  for  fastening  the  crests  of 
the  knights  and  also  of  the  horses.  Most  of  the  items  in  this  roll  were 
supplied  by  curriers  or  tailors,  for  the  weapons  and  armour  were  of  wood 
or  leather,  and  metal  does  not  seem  to  have  been  used. 

1300.  Wardrobe  Expenses  of  Edward  1} 

Una  Cresta  cum  clavis  argenti  pro  eodem  capello. 

1 30 1.  An  indenture  on  the  delivery  of  the  Castle  of  Montgomery  by  William  de 

Leyburn  to  Hugo  de  Knoville.  ^ 

Unum  incudem  et  i  martellum  et  ii  suffletis  ovi  valoris. 

These  are  evidently  the  contents  of  the  castle  armourer's  workshop  : 
an  anvil,  a  hammer,  and  a  small  pair  of  bellows  of  no  value.  Perhaps 
such  items  are  hardly  worth  chronicling,  but  in  a  work  of  this  nature  it 
seems  to  be  advisable  to  collect  every  entry  bearing  upon  the  subject,  so 
as  to  make  it  a  complete  study  of  the  craft  of  the  armourer  both  techni- 
cally and  historically,  as  far  as  is  possible  with  the  very  limited  material 
obtainable. 

1369.    Dethe  Blaunclie.,  I.  9964.  Chaucer. 

As  hys  brothres  hamers  ronge 
upon  hys  anuelet  up  and  doon. 

1386.    Knight's  Tale.,  I.  1649.  Chaucer. 

Faste  the  armurers  also 

with  fyle  and  hamer  prikynge  to  and  fro. 

This  refers  to  the  travelling  armourer  who  accompanied  his  lord  to 
the  tournament  or  to  war. 

1465.  Acts,  of  Sir  fohn  Howard. 

20,000  Bregander  nayle        iis.  8d. 

These  are  the  small  rivets  used  in  making  the  brigandine.  A  brigan- 
dine  with  sleeves  at  Madrid  (c.  11)  is  composed  of  3827  separate  plates 
and  over  7000  rivets  were  used  in  putting  it  together. 

1  Archaologia,  XVIII,  305.  2  Cott.  MS.,  Vit.  c.  lo,  fol.  1 54. 


30         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


1460  (?).  Ordinances  of  Chivalry^  fol.  122^.^ 

Also  a  dosen  tresses  of  armynge  poyntis. 
Also  a  hamyr  and  pynsones  and  a  bicorne. 
Also  smale  nayles  a  dosen. 

The  "tresses"  were  plaited  laces  for  fastening  the  various  portions 
of  armour  to  the  wearer.  These  may  be  seen  in  the  portrait  of  the 
Due  de  Nevers(?)  at  Hampton  Court,  the  picture  of  S.  Demetrius  by 
L'Ortolano  in  the  National  Gallery,  and  more  clearly  in  the  portrait  of 
an  unknown  navigator  in  the  Fortnum  Room  of  the  Ashmolean  Museum, 
Oxford.  The  arming-points  will  be  found  described  and  illustrated  on 
page  109. 

1513.  Equipage  of  Henry ^  Earl  of  Northumberland.^ 

Emmery  &  oile  for  dressing  my  Lord's  harnes. 
Leather,  bokills  &  naylles  for  mendyng  my  Lords  harnes. 
Towles  conserning  the  mending  of  my  Lord's  harnes.  Item  a  payre 
of  nyppers,  a  payre  of  pynsores,  a  pomyshe/  &  ij  fylles.  Item  a 
small  sti'the,  a  hammer,  and  all  ouy''  stuffe  and  tooles  belonginge  an 
armorer.  Item  viij  yards  of  white  blaunkett  for  trussing  of  my 
Lord's  harnes  in. 

The  emery  and  oil  were  used  in  cleaning  the  armour  and  will  be 
noticed  in  due  course  on  page  78.  The  nippers,  pincers,  etc.,  have 
been  alluded  to  before.  The  "sti'the"  is  an  anvil,  a  term  used  up  to 
Shakespeare's  time,  as  may  be  found  in  Hamlet^  iii.  2,  89.  All  these 
"Towles"  or  tools  would  be  part  of  the  travelling  equipment  of  the 
armourer  who  accompanied  his  lord  on  active  service. 

1 5 1 4.  Record  Office,  9  July,  to  fohn  Blewbery. 

For  a  millwheel  with  stondard,  2  beams  &  brasys  [braces] 
belonging  thereto  and  two  small  wheels  to  drive  the 


glasys  40s. 

For  two  elm  planks  for  lanterns  for  the  same  mill  5s. 

13  lbs.  of  tin  at  5d.  a  lb.  5s.  ^d. 
28  lbs.  of  white  soap  for  tempering  the  said  mill  at  2d.  lb.      4s.  i  od. 

500  gauntlet  nailes  8d. 

100  &  a  half  of  iron  4/8,  3  rivetting  hamers  2/-  6s.  8d. 

a  payre  of  pynsers  2/8,  4  crest  fylys  4/-  6s.  8d. 

2  greate  fylys  5s. 

100  &  a  half  of  Steele  for  vambraces  &  gaunteletes  60s. 


1  Archaologiay  LVII,  also  Arch.  Jourti.,  IV,  226. 

2  Antiquarian  Repertory,  IV,  367.  ^  Pumice-stone. 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC. 


31 


The  mill-wheel  was  for  the  water-power  used  for  turning  the  grind- 
stones and  other  appliances  which  will  be  noticed  later  on  in  this  chapter. 
The  "  glasys "  are  probably  the  glazing- wheels  for  putting  the  final 
polish  upon  the  finished  armour.  The  white  soap  was  for  lubricating 
the  axle  of  the  mill-wheel  or  for  the  final  polish  of  the  metal  on  the 
wheel  or  buff.  The  "gauntlet  nailes"  are  small  rivets  for  gauntlets 
which,  being  of  thinner  metal,  would  require  a  smaller-sized  rivet  than 
the  rest  of  the  body  armour.  The  steel  for  vambraces  and  gauntlets  was 
probably  thinner  than  that  used  for  other  portions  of  the  suit. 

1 5 1 4.  Record  Office^  2  2  yuly^  to  'John  Blewbery. 

for  the  glasyers  of  the  said  mill  and  one  spindle  to 

the  same  glasyers  o  o 

for  a  grind  stone  &  the  beam  for  the  same  mill  i     o  o 

King's  Book  of  Payments^  Record  Office. 

1 5 16.  Feb.^  to  Edith,  widow  of  Fountain,  millman.  * 
for  milling  &  carriage  of  harness  15    o  o 

1 5 16.  Record  Office,  loc.  cit..  May,  fohn  Hardy,  fishmonger. 

4  bundles  of  Isebrooke  stuff  for  making  parts  of 

harness  6  8 

It  is  difficult  to  see  why  this  payment  should  have  been  made  unless 
the  fishmonger  had  imported  the  Innsbruck  metal  in  one  of  his  boats. 
The  term  "  Isebroke"  will  be  found  mentioned  under  the  chapter  dealing 
with  the  Proving  of  Armour. 

1517.  Record  Office,  loc.  cit.,  April,  to  fohn  de  Mery. 

2541  lbs.  of  steel  plates  of  Isebroke  and  Lymbrickes 

stuff  ^26  12  o 

The  "Lymbricke"  metal  came  from  Limburg,  in  North  Brabant. 

1 5 17,  Record  Office,  loc.  cit..  May,  to  Sir  Edw.  Guy  If  or d. 

making  two  forges  &  the  repairs  in  the  Armory  at 

Southwark  ^19    2  o 

I  520.  Record  Office^  April,  Richd.  Pellande,  Rauffe  Brand,  Richd.  Cutler,  and 
Hans, iour  of  the  King's  armourers,  brought  to  the  Field  of  the  Cloth 
of  Gold  all  sorts  of  necessaries  for  armour,  such  as  buckles,  files, 
chisels,  punches,  hinges,  hides,  and  rivets. 

The  glazing-mill  was  taken  down  at  Greenwich  and  was  set  up  at 
Guisnes  with  four  forges. 

^  Expenses  of  Sir  Edw.  Guilford,  Master  of  the  Armoury. 


32         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


1544.  Cott.  App.  XXVIII,  f.  69,  Brit.  Mus. 

Working  in  the  privy  Armoury  upon  thefiling  of  the  king's  Majestie's 
harnes  &  other  necessaries  from  May  i  i-July  16.  (This  is  part  of 
the  account  of  Erasmus,  the  King's  armourer,  who  is  noticed  else- 
where.) 

1 544.  Loc.  cit.,  f.  j6.     Charges  of  the  Kings  Armoury. 
Item  8  bundles  of  steel  to  the  said  Armoury  for 

the  whole  year  38/-  the  bundle  li.  xv  iiii 

(Lockers  and  Millmen  are  mentioned  in  this  entry.) 

On  page  31  it  was  noted  that  in  15 16  four  bundles  of  steel  cost 
^8  6s.  8d.,  in  1517  2541  lb.  cost  ^26  i2s.,  that  is  about  2^d.  per  lb. 
From  these  three  entries  taken  together  we  gather  that  the  "bundle" 
was  about  20  lb. 

1544.    Cott.  App}  XXVIII,  f.  76. 

Item  for  1 6  bundles  of  steel  to  serve  both  shops 

a  whole  year  at  38/-  per  bundle 
Item  i  hide  of  buff  leather  every  month  for  both 

shops  at  10/-  the  hide 
Item  to  every  of  the  said  shops  4  loads  of 

charcoal  a  month  9/-  the  load 
Item  for  both  shops  i  cowhide  every  month  at 

6/8  the  hide 
Item  100  of  iron  every  month  for  both  shops  at 

6/8  the  100 
Item  in  wispe  steel  for  both  shops  every  month 

1 5  lbs.  at  4d.  lb. 
Item  in  wire  monthly  to  both  shops  12  lb. 

monthly  at  4d.  the  lb. 
Item  in  nayles  &  buckles  for  both  shops  monthly 

This  record  contains  other  details  in  connection  with  the  two  work- 
shops of  Greenwich  and  Westminster,  in  which  1 2  armourers,  2  lock- 
smiths, and  2  millmen  and  2  prentices  are  employed  who  "  will  make 
yearly,  with  the  said  16  bundles  of  steel  and  the  other  stuff  aforesaid, 
3  2  harnesses  complete,  every  harness  to  be  rated  to  the  king's  Highness 
at  ;^i2,  which  amounteth  in  the  year  towards  his  Grace's  charge 

iii"  iiii"  iiii""  (^384). 

From  these  details  we  can  find  approximately  that  the  32  suits  re- 
quired 13  hundred  of  iron  and  195  lb.  of  whisp  steel.  Therefore  each 
suit  took  40 1  lb.  of  iron  and  about  6  lb.  of  whisp  steel. 

^  See  also  Appendix  F. 


li,  XXX 

viii 

vi 

X 

xl 

xix 

iv 

vi 

viii 

iv 

vi 

viii 

Ixv 

lii 

Ixv 

PLATE  VIII 

i 

/ 


ARMOUR  OK  HENRY  VIII  FOR  KKIHTING  ON  FOOT  IN  THE  LISTS 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC. 


33 


The  leather  was  either  for  straps  and  Hnings  for  the  armour,  or  may 
have  been  used  for  facing  the  polishing-wheels  or  "  buffs."  The  year 
was  divided  into  thirteen  lunar  months. 

1559.    Hefiry  chorus.  Shakespeare. 

The  Armourers  accomplishing  the  knights 
With  busy  hamers  closing  riuets  up. 

This  is  more  or  less  a  poetic  licence,  for  the  riveting  was  only  done 
on  each  separate  piece,  and  these  were  joined  on  the  wearer  with  straps, 
arming-points,  or  turning-pins.  Of  course  this  entry  should  be  taken 
as  made  at  the  year  when  Shakespeare  wrote,  and  not  as  representing  an 
actual  occurrence  at  Agincourt. 

1562.  State  Papers  Domestic,  'Elizabeth.,  Vol.  XXI,  14. 

Due  also  to  the  armorers  of  the  Tower  for  their  wages 
&  for  leather,  buckels,nailes  &  other  paiments  in  indent 
to  the  said  armory  at  the  feast  of  Christmas  last  past        vj''  xv' 

In  this  entry  are  mentioned  arming  nails,  butret  nails,  hammers, 
punshions,  sheres,  fyles,  sand  for  scouring,  cords,  points,  oyletholes,  tow 
and  butten  nails. 

1574.  State  Papers  Domestic,  Elizabeth,  Vol.  XCIX,  50. 

The  monthly  charge  ordinary,  vez  coles,  stele 

Iron  nayles,  buckills  &  lether  &c.  vij" 

1593.  Auditor  s  Privy  Seal  Book,  353. 

Elizabeth  to  the  Treasurer  &  Chamberlain  of  the  Exchequer. 
Whereas  we    .    .    .   are  informed  that  the  mills  serving  for  our 
Armoury  at  Greenwich  are  decayed,  you  are  to  pay  to  Sir  H.  Lee 
such  sums  as  are  necessary  for  the  repairs  ...  for  the  mills  not 
to  exceed  ^80. 

1622.  Record  Office,  Sir  Henry  Lee's  Accounts  of  the  Armoury. 

The  following  details  are  mentioned : — 

Redskins  for  bordering  of  armour,  calfskins  for  the  same,  leather  for 
gauntlets,  Round  headed  nails,  Tynned  nails,  flat  headed  nails,  white 
nails,  yellow  nails,  double  buckels,  buckels,  nails  and  taches  for 
gantlets,  copper  nails,  brockases,  tacejoyntz. 

The  "nails"  here  mentioned  are  rivets  of  iron  or  brass  or  copper. 
Some  were  tinned  to  prevent  rusting,  a  custom  which  was  practised  as 
early  as  1361,  for  we  find  in  one  of  the  inventories  of  Dover  Castle^ 

^  Arch.  Journ.,  XI. 

5 


34         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


under  that  date  "xiii  basynetz  tinez."  The  "taches"  for  gauntlets  were 
fastenings  of  some  kind,  possibly  turning-pins.  The  "  brockases"  were 
also  probably  brooches  or  fastenings  of  some  sort,  and  the  "tacejoyntz" 
hinges  for  attaching  the  tassets  to  the  taces. 

1624.  State  Papers  Domestic^  ^^c.  /,  Vol.  CLXXX,  71,  72.    Erection  of 
Plating-mills  by  Capt.  Martin  at  Erith.    (This  document  is  quoted 
at  length  in  Appendix  J,  p.  188,) 
The  rates  for  Plaetes  and  armors  exectly  examined  for  the  prices  the 

strength  and  lightness  considered  are  thus  reduced. 
The  chardge  of  a  tun  of  Armer  plaetes  o  o 

Two  chaldron  of  coles  wt.  carriadge  will  be  1 1     2  o 

Reparation  for  the  mill  12  o 

The  workmen  for  battering  this  tun  of  plaetes  400 
The  armourers  may  make  them  wt  due  shape  black 

nayle  and  lether  them  for  710  o 

etc.  etc. 

The  entries  in  this  document  will  be  examined  fully  on  page  41. 

1 63 1 .  Feeder  a  ^  xix,  p.  312.  Rymer. 

Unstriking  new  fyling  russetting  new  nayling  lethering 

and  lyning  of  a  cuirassiers  armor  i    iii  o 

This  entry  occurs  in  a  document  under  the  Privy  Seal  of  Charles  I, 
dated  Westminster,  June  29,  which  refers  to  the  using  of  a  hall-mark  for 
armour.    The  principal  portion  of  this  is  given  in  Appendix  K,  page  191. 

1643.  State  Papers  Domestic,  Car.  /,  Nov.  20. 

Letter  from  Privy  Seal  to  treasurer  &  under  Treasurer  of  Exchequer 
to  pay  Wm.  Legg  Master  of  the  Armoury  £100  by  way  of  imprest 
upon  account  to  be  employed  in  building  a  mill  at  Woolvercote  near 
Oxford  for  grinding  swords  &  for  building  forges  providing  tools 
&  other  necessaries  for  sword  blade  makers  to  be  employed  to  make 
swords  for  our  service. 

1644.  State  Papers  Domestic,  Car.  7,  D,  Feb.  26. 

Warrant  of  the  Privy  seal  to  Exchequer. 
By  our  special  command  Legg  has  caused  to  be  erected  a  mill  for 
grinding  swords  at  Woolvercote  co  Gloucester  &  forges  at  Gloucester 
Hall,  you  are  therefore  to  pay  upon  account  to  Wm.  Legg  Master  of 
the  Armory  a  sum  not  exceeding  ^2000  for  grinding  swords  and 
belts  in  the  office  of  the  armory  the  same  to  be  made  at  the  usual 
price  and  according  to  pattern  as  by  us  appointed  also  to  provide 
tools  and  other  necessaries  for  sword  blade  making  employed  by  the 
said  Master  of  the  Armory. 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC. 


35 


In  the  second  of  these  extracts  "co  Gloucester"  is  a  sHp  of  the  pen 
due  to  the  close  proximity  of  "  Gloucester  Hall."  It  should  of  course 
read  "Oxford."  The  mill  was  originally  owned  by  the  nuns  of  Godstow, 
who  received  it  from  Henry  I.  It  is  now  used  by  the  Clarendon  Press 
for  paper-making.  Gloucester  Hall  is  now  Worcester  College.  There 
are  no  records  either  in  the  city  or  university  to  throw  more  light  on 
these  entries. 

1649.  Parliamentary  Survey^  Feb.^  No.  30. 

The  Armory  Mill  consisted  of  two  little  rooms  and  one  large  one  in 
which  stood  two  mills,  then  lately  altered.  The  mill  with  stables 
stood  in  an  acre  of  ground  abutting  on  Lewisham  Common  and  was 
used  till  about  twelve  years  before  the  above  date  for  grinding  armour 
and  implements  for  the  King's  tilt-yard. 

The  mill  is  described  in  the  rental  of  the  manor,  44  Edw.  Ill,  1371, 
as  one  for  grinding  steel  and  valued  at  3s.  4d.  per  ann. 

1660.  Harl.  MSS.  J^S7- 

A  view  and  Survey  of  all  the  Armour  and  other  Munitions  or 
Habiliaments  of  Warr  remayneing  at  the  Tower  of  London.^ 

Armorers  Tooles. 
Small  bickernes.  Tramping  stakes,"  Round  stake,^  Welting  stake,* 
straite  sheres,^  hieing  tonges,  Hamers,  Old  tew  iron,*'  Great  square 
anvill,  Bellows,  Smiths  vices,  Threstles. 

The  entry  which  refers  to  the  loss  of  the  "  Great  Bear,"  a  large 
anvil  formerly  at  Greenwich,  is  given  in  full  in  Appendix  M. 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  tools  and  appliances,  some  notice 
should  be  taken  of  the  picture  by  Jan  Breughel  (1575-1632)  entitled 
Venus  at  the  Forge  of  Vulcan"  (Kais.  Friedrich  Mus.,  Berlin,  No.  678), 
which  measures  54  cm.  by  93  cm.  Here  all  the  various  operations 
of  the  armourer  and  gun-founder  are  shown,  with  a  large  quantity  of 
armour,  weapons,  bells,  coins,  and  goldsmith's  work.  The  details  of 
especial  interest  are  the  grindstones  and  "  glazing- wheels,"  and  the 
"tilt-hammers"  worked  by  water-power,  which  were  probably  the 
machines  used  in  the  "  battering-mills "  more  than  once  alluded  to 
above.    These  water-turned  hammers  continued  in  use  in  England  up 

^  Given  in  full,  Meyrick,  Antient  Armour,  III,  I06.        *  For  turning  over  edges  of  iron. 

2  A  pick {Eng.  Dialect  Diet.)  ^  This  shows  that  curved  shears  were  also  used. 

^  Bottom  stake.  ^  Possibly  a  nozzle  for  bellows  (N.E.  Did.). 


36         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


to  the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century,^  and  are  still  found  in 
Italy  at  the  present  day.  They  are  raised  by  wooden  cams  or  teeth 
set  round  the  axle  of  the  water-wheel,  to  which  a  handle  is  fixed  on 
the  near  side  for  use  when  water-power  was  not  available.  The  chisel- 
edge  of  the  hammer  is  for  stretching  the  metal  by  means  of  a  series  of 
longitudinal  hammerings.  Of  the  grindstones  actuated  by  the  same 
water-power,  the  larger  would  be  for  rough  work,  the  second  for  finer 
finish,  and  the  smallest,  which  is  probably  a  wooden  "  buff,"  would 
be  used  for  the  high  polish  at  the  end. 

It  is  impossible  here  to  give  a  detailed  description  of  this  very 
interesting  picture,  which  has  been  considered  elsewhere  by  the 
present  author.^  At  the  same  time  the  tools  shown  in  this  workshop 
are  worthy  of  notice  as  being  part  of  the  stock-in-trade  of  the 
armourer  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

To  the  left  of  the  tilt-hammers,  in  the  foreground,  are  a  pair  of 
large  bench-shears,  and  above  them,  on  a  cooling-trough,  just  below 
the  magpie,  is  a  long-handled  swage  for  stamping  grooves 
and  edgings  on  metal  plates.  Tongs,  pincers,  and  hammers 
are  found  in  many  parts  of  the  picture,  and  dies  for  stamping 
coins  or  medals  are  seen  immediately  below  the  bench-shears. 
Directly  under  the  right  foot  of  Vulcan  is  a  tracing- wheel, 
similar  to  that  shown  on  Jost  Amman's  engraving  of  the 
"Compass  Maker"  in  his  Book  of  Trades,  A  small  bench- 
vice  lies  near  the  lower  margin  of  the  picture  under  the 
figure  of  Cupid,  and  a  hand-vice  and  repousse  hammer  on 
the  three-legged  stool  to  the  left.  In  the  distance,  over  the 
figure  of  Venus,  is  the  primitive  contrivance  for  boring  a 
cannon,  the  mould  for  casting  which  is  seen  close  by  in  the 
floor.  The  most  interesting  detail  is  to  be  found  in  the 
machine  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  small  anvil  at  Cupid's 
This  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  modern  burring- 
machine  or  "jenny,"  used  for  turning  up  the  edge  of  thin  metal  plates 
(Fig.  17). 

The  armour  shown,  with  its  strongly  marked  volutes  and  decoration. 


Fig.  17. 
Burring-machine 

or  "Jenny  " 
(seefrontispiece). 

*ight  hand. 


^  Cabinet  Cyclopedia,  "Manufacture  of  Metals,"  Lardner,  1 83 1. 

2  Burlington  Magazine,  April,  Zeitschrift fiir  Historische  Waffenkunde,  V,  10. 


PLATE  JX 


I 


TOOLS,  APPLIANCES,  ETC. 


37 


is  of  a  type  very  common  in  the  Madrid  and  Turin  armouries,  some  of 
which  has  been  ascribed  to  Pompeo  della  Chiesa.  We  have  no  clue 
as  to  whose  workshop  this  picture  represents,  but  if  taken  from  life,  it 
must  certainly  have  been  that  of  some  master  like  Bartolomeo  Campi, 
who,  besides  being  an  armourer,  was  a  bronze -founder  and  goldsmith 
as  well  (see  Frontispiece). 


IRON  AND  STEEL 


THERE  is  but  little  information  to  be  obtained  regarding  the 
actual  materials  used  by  the  armourer.  The  chief  source 
from  which  he  drew  his  supplies  seems  to  have  been  Innsbruck. 
Why  this  was  so  is  not  clear  from  the  contemporary  records,  but  we 
may  be  sure  that  the  German  metal  was  harder  and  better  tempered 
than  that  of  other  countries,  or  there  would  not  have  been  the  demand 
for  it  that  there  evidently  was.  In  the  various  entries  in  the  State 
Papers  Domestic  we  find  specific  mention  of  "  Isebruk "  iron,  and 
the  merits  of  this  metal  must  have  been  appreciated  even  in  Shakespeare's 
time,  for  we  have  in  Othello^  v.  2,  253,  "a  sword  of  icebrook's 
temper."  In  the  earliest  editions  of  the  play  the  word  is  "  Isebrooke," 
which  is  obviously  the  anglicized  version  of  Innsbruck.^ 

Sheffield  steel  must  have  been  appreciated  as  early  as  Chaucer's 
time,  for  the  Miller  carries  a  "  Sheffield  thwyrtel  "  (knife),  and  in 
1402  the  arrows  used  at  the  battle  of  Homildon  were  pointed  with 
Sheffield  steel,  so  sharp  that  no  armour  could  repel  them. 

It  is  possible  that  the  German  iron-smelters  had  discovered  the 
properties  of  manganese,  which  hardens  steel,  and  thus  obtained  a 
superior  metal  to  that  produced  in  other  countries. 

The  discovery  of  steel  was  probably  a  fortuitous  accident,  due  to 
the  fact  that  the  first  smelting-works  were  fuelled  with  charcoal,  which 
deoxidizes  iron  and  turns  some  portion  of  the  metal  into  natural 
steel.  The  Germans  themselves  realized  the  superiority  of  their 
material,  for  in  1 5 1 1  Seusenhofer  complained  that  his  merchant  was 
not  giving  him  good  metal,  and  advised  that  it  should  be  classed  as 
"  Milanese,"  so  as  not  to  lessen  the  fame  of  Innsbruck  iron. 

Till  the  seventeenth  century  English  iron  seems  to  have  been  largely 
used  for  domestic  purposes,  for  we  find  on  examining  Professor  Rogers's 
Agriculture  and  Prices  that  German  iron  is  never  mentioned,  but  there 

1  The  quotation  continues  :  "a  sword  of  Spain."  We  find  many  Solingen  and  Passau  blades  bearing 
the  marks  of  Spanish  sword-smiths. 

38 


IRON  AND  STEEL 


39 


are  frequent  references  to  English  and  Spanish  metal.  The  following 
prices  from  the  above  work  show  the  fluctuations  in  prices  of  iron  in 
England. 

1436.  Spanish  iron,  241b.,  is.  6d.,  or  about  ^£14.  the  ton. 
1462.  Iron,  42  lb.  at  ^d.,  or  ;^I7  los.  the  ton. 
1562.  Raw  English  iron,  j£i2  los.  the  ton. 

Bilbow  (Bilboa),       i  8s.  the  ton. 

Spanish,       2  the  ton. 

1570.  Iron  gun-stocks,  made  up,  ;^28  the  ton. 

1 571,  Steel  bar,  j^io  the  ton. 
Bar  steel,  ;^37  4s.  the  ton. 

1584.  Spanish  iron,  j^i^  the  ton.     50  bars  to  the  ton,  or  about 
45  lb.  to  the  bar. 

1622.  Steel,  ;^32  the  ton. 

1623.  Spanish  iron,  ^^14  los.  to  jQi^  los. 

1624.  Iron  bars  of  24  lb.  at  ^^37  4s.  the  ton. 

These  prices  vary  so  greatly  that  we  must  be  sure  that  there  was 
a  great  difference  in  the  quality,  and  also  in  the  state  in  which  the 
metal  is  delivered.  In  some  cases  there  must  have  been  a  great  deal 
of  preparation  and  finishing  of  the  raw  material  to  account  for  the 
high  price  paid. 

In  1 5 1 7  an  entry  in  the  State  Papers  Domestic,  given  on  page  3  i , 
states  that  2541  lb.  of  Isebroke  steel  cost  /^26  12s.,  which  gives  about 
^23  for  the  ton. 

In  the  Sussex  Archceological  yournal^  II,  200,  Walter  Burrel  gives 
an  account  of  Sussex  ironworks  in  the  seventeenth  century.  He 
states  that  when  once  the  furnace  was  lit  it  was  kept  going  sometimes 
for  forty  weeks,  the  period  being  reckoned  in  "  foundays."  During 
each  founday  eight  tons  were  made  with  twenty-four  loads  of  charcoal. 
The  metal  was  cast  into  "  sows  "  weighing  from  600  to  2000  lb.  He 
states  that  "  they  melt  off  a  piece  of  the  sow  about  three  quarters  of  a 
hundredweight  and  beat  it  with  sledges  near  a  fire  so  that  it  may 
not  fall  to  pieces,  treating  it  with  water  they  thus  bring  it  to  a  '  bloom,' 
a  four  square  piece  2  ft.  long."^  Modern  bar-iron  i  in.  by  i  in.  by  12  in. 
weighs  3*4  lb.  Therefore  this  bloom  would  approximately  make  a  plate 
33  sq.  ft.  by  ^  in.  thick. ^  Even  with  these  data  it  is  impossible  to  tell 

^  This  would  be  a  piece  about  2  ft.  by  3^  in.  by  3I  in. 
^  Large  plates  of  horse-armour  are  about      in.  thick. 


40         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


the  size  of  the  plates  deUvered  to  the  armourer  ;  for  the  appliances  in 
the  Middle  Ages  were  but  crude,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  rolling-mills  were 
used  in  the  sixteenth  century.  From  the  picture  by  Breughel,  given  as 
the  frontispiece,  we  know  that  tilt-hammers  were  in  use,  but  these 
would  hardly  have  been  used  to  flatten  plates  of  any  great  size. 

It  would  appear  that  iron  in  some  localities  was  tainted  with  some 
poison  ;  for  in  a  Geographic  d'Ec/rm  quoted  in  Gay's  Rncylopcedia^  699, 
reference  is  made  to  a  mountain  in  Armenia  where  the  iron  ore  is  poisoned 
and  which,  when  made  into  knives  and  swords,  produced  mortal  wounds. 
It  may  have  been  that  this  was  actually  the  case,  but  it  is  more  probable 
that  it  was  an  invention  of  the  owner  of  the  mine  designed  to  give  his 
productions  a  fictitious  value. 

A  few  details  of  interest  in  connection  with  the  manufacture  of  iron 
in  England  may  be  gathered  from  the  Metallum  Martis  of  Dud  Dudley, 
a  natural  son  of  Edward,  Lord  Dudley.  The  treatise  was  printed  in 
1665  and  refers  to  the  author's  endeavours  to  interest  the  Crown  in  his 
project  for  smelting  iron  with  sea-coal  instead  of  wood  or  charcoal.  In 
his  address  to  the  King  (Charles  II)  and  Council  he  prefaces  his  tech- 
nical remarks  as  follows  : — 

"  Our  predecessors  in  former  Ages  had  both  serious  Consultations 
and  Considerations  before  they  made  these  many  Wholesome  and  Good 
Lawes  for  the  preservation  of  Wood  and  Timber  of  this  Kingdome. 
I  Eliz.  15,  23  Eliz.  5,  27  Eliz.  19,  28  Eliz.  3,  5.  .  .  .  Therefore  it 
concerns  His  Sacred  Majesty,  his  high  Court  of  Parliament  ...  to 
lay  it  to  heart  and  helping  hands  upon  fit  occasions  in  these  laudable 
Inventions  of  making  Iron  &  melting  of  mines  and  refyning  them  with 
Pitcoal,  Seacoal,  Peat,  and  Turf ;  ...  for  maintenance  of  Navigation, 
men  of  War,  the  Fishing  and  Merchants  trade,  which  is  the  greatest 
strength  of  Great  Britain  .  .  .  whose  defence  and  offence  next  under 
God  consists  by  his  sacred  Majestie's  assisting  care  and  view  of  his  men 
of  War  .  .  .  Ordinance  of  Copper,  Brass  and  Iron,  Armories,  Steels, 
and  Irons  of  all  sorts." 

In  his  letter  to  the  King  he  mentions  Shippings,  Stores,  Armories, 
Ordnance,  Magazines,  and  Trade.  He  mentions  several  counties  as 
mining  centres,  but  does  not  include  Sussex  or  Shropshire.  The  first  of 
these  two  was  probably  ruled  out,  as  the  industry  there  depended  on  the 


HELMETS  OF  HKNRV  VIII 

FRONT  ANI>  BACK  OF   HELMET  I)V  THE  MISSAGLIAS 

,,  ,.  ,,  PART  OF  THE  SUIT  SHOWN   ON   I'l  AIR   Ml,   V.V  CONRAD  SEUSENHOFER 

llEVOK  FOR  thf:  I.ATTEK 

THE  armourer's  MARKS  AITEAK  ON   2  AND  4 


IRON  AND  STEEL 


41 


use  of  wood,  against  which  Dudley's  introduction  of  coal  was  levelled. 
We  find  Shropshire  mentioned  in  the  Trial  of  Armour  given  in  the 
chapter  on  "  Proof"  (page  66). 

Dudley  seems  to  have  formed  a  company  in  May,  1638,  into  which 
he  took  one  Roger  Foulke,  "  a  Counsellor  of  the  Temple  and  an 
ingenious  man,"  as  partner. 

Before  this  his  father,  Lord  Dudley,  had  employed  a  certain  Richard 
Parkes  or  Parkhouse  to  carry  iron  merchandise  to  the  Tower,  which 
James  I  ordered  to  be  tested  by  his  "  Artists,"  that  is,  of  course,  his 
armourers.  Parkes  made  a  sample  fowling-piece  of  the  new  "  Dudley 
Ore,"  smelted  from  pit-coal,  and  signed  his  name  in  gold  upon  the  barrel. 
The  gun  was  taken  from  him  by  Colonel  Levison  and  was  never  returned. 

Dudley  gives  three  qualities  of  iron  :  grey  iron,  the  finest,  and  best 
suited  for  making  bar-iron ;  motley  iron,  a  medium  quality ;  and  white 
iron,  the  least  refined. 

It  is  curious  that  in  all  his  calculations  and  specifications  he  never 
actually  mentions  the  making  of  armour  and  but  seldom  the  casting  of 
ordnance. 

In  considering  the  weights  of  suits  as  given  in  Appendix  J  we  find 
the  following  details.  By  the  prices  given  20  cwt.  make  one  ton.  The 
cwt.  at  the  time  of  James  I  was  112  lb. 

Now  we  are  told  that  "  Sixe  hundred  of  iron  will  make  five  hundred 
of  plates,"  so  we  gather  that  in  turning  the  pig-iron  into  plates  one 
hundredweight  was  lost.  The  above  entries  give  the  following  weights 
per  suit  or  portion  of  a  suit  scheduled  : — 

Five  hundred  (weight)  of  plates  will  make  20  cuirasses 

of  pistol  proofe  with  pauldrons. 
Therefore  one  set  will  weigh       .  .  .        .    28  lb. 

Four  hundred  (weight)  of  plates  will  make  20  pair  (or  40 

sets)  of  cuirasses  without  pauldrons. 
Therefore  one  set  will  weigh       .  .  .        .     1 1  lb.     3  oz. 

Sixteen  hundred  (weight)  of  plates  will  make  20  lance- 
armours. 

Therefore  one  lance-armour^  will  weigh      .  .        .    89  lb.  10  oz. 

^  For  particulars  of  "  lance-armour  "  see  Appendix  I. 

6 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Five  hundred  (weight)  of  plates  will  make  20  proof 
targets. 

Therefore  one  target  will  weigh  .  .  .        .    28  lb. 

Twelve  hundred  (weight)  of  plates  will  make  20  pairs 

(40  sets)  of  strong  cuirasses  with  caps. 
Therefore  one  set  of  cuirass  and  cap  will  weigh      .        .    33  lb.  10  oz. 

Four  "platers"  will  make  up  3700  weight  or  37  cwt.  of  plates  in 
one  week,  therefore  one  plater  will  make  up  9  cwt.  28  lb.  in  a  week  or 
I  cwt.  57  lb.  or  thereabouts  in  one  day. 

For  comparison  with  existing  suits  of  which  the  weights  are  known 
we  may  use  the  following  details  : — 


lb. 

oz. 

Paris  (G,  80),  n'rc.  1588.    Cuirass,  arm 

i-pieces,  and  tassets  . 

•  73 

0 

Head-piece 

.  22 

0 

95 

0 

Stanton  Harcourt,  Oxon,  circ.  1685. 

Cuirass 

.  25 

0 

Head-piece  . 

22 

10 

Arm-pieces  (2) 

6 

0 

53 

10 

Tower  (II,  22),  circ.  1686. 

Cuirass 

•  27 

4 

Head-piece  . 

•  7 

8 

Long  gauntlet 

•  3 

0 

37 

12 

Tower  (II,  92),  of  XVII  cent. 

Cuirass 

.  24 

0 

Head-piece  . 

.  6 

8 

The  whole  of  this  suit  weighs 

.  48 

8 

It  should  be  noted  that  two  of  the  items  in  the  Appendix  are  de- 
scribed as  of  "  proof"  and  one  is  described  as  "  strong."  The  lance- 
armours  are  not  qualified  in  any  way,  but  from  their  weight  they  must 
have  been  proof  against  musket  or  arquebus. 

It  is  impossible  to  discover  what  size  the  "plates"  were  made  before 
they  were  handed  over  to  the  armourers.  The  largest  single  plate  in  the 
Tower  is  a  portion  of  the  horse-armour  of  II,  5,  known  as  the  "  En- 
graved Suit."  This  piece  measures  27^  in.  at  top  and  28^  in.  at 
bottom  by  17  in.  and  i8|  in.  high,  or  roughly  speaking  28^  in.  by 
i8|in.,  about  ^i^'  thick,  weighing  about  6  lb.  4  oz.  If  the  numbers 
given  on  page  4 1  represent  plates  and  not  hundredweights,  each  plate 


IRON  AND  STEEL 


43 


1^  in.  thick  would  be  6  in.  by  1 1  in.,  and  this  is  obviously  absurd.  It 
is  more  likely  that,  with  the  crude  appliances  in  use,  an  ingot  of  metal 
was  beaten  out  into  such  a  plate  as  the  weight  of  the  ingot  might  give, 
larger  or  smaller  as  the  case  might  be,  and  not  standardized  in  any  way. 
Dud  Dudley  writing  in  1665  describes  the  methods  of  ironworkers 
before  his  introduction  of  sea-coal. 

"They  could  make  but  one  little  lump  or  bloom  of  Iron  in  a  day,  not 
100  weight  and  that  not  fusible,  nor  fined,  or  malliable,  until  it  were 
long  burned  and  wrought  under  hammers."^ 

1  Metallum  Mortis,  p.  37. 


THE  GRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER 


THE  actual  craft- work  of  the  armourer  differed  but  little  from  that 
of  the  smith,  but  there  are  some  details  which  the  armourer  had 
to  consider  which  were  not  part  of  ordinary  blacksmith's  work. 
There  are  no  contemporary  works  of  a  technical  nature,  and  our 
investigations  can  only  be  based  on  actual  examination  of  suits,  assisted 
by  scattered  extracts  from  authorities  who  mention  the  subject  in  mili- 
tary works.  In  1649  J.  Cramer  printed  a  work,  De  ^rmorum  Fabri- 
catione^  but  it  throws  no  light  upon  the  subject  and  quotes  from  Roman 
authorities. 

In  the  first  place,  the  making  of  mail  was  a  distinct  craft  which  had 
no  counterpart  in  other  branches  of  smithing.  At  first  the  wire  had 
to  be  beaten  out  from  the  solid,  and  thus  the  few  fragments  which 
remain  to  us  of  early  mail  show  a  rough,  uneven  ring  of  wire,  clumsily 
fashioned  and  thicker  than  that  of  later  dates.  The  invention  of  wire- 
drawing is  generally  ascribed  to  Rudolph  of  Nuremberg,  about  the 
middle  of  the  fourteenth  century,^  but  there  were  two  corporations  of 
wire-drawers  in  Paris  in  the  thirteenth  century  mentioned  in  Etienne 
Boileau's  LiDre  des  Metiers ^  written  about  1260. 

When  the  wire  was  obtained,  either  hammered  out  or  drawn,  it 
was  probably  twisted  spirally  round  a  rod  of  the  diameter  of  the  required 
ring.  It  was  then  cut  off  into  rings,  with  the  ends  overlapping.  The 
two  ends  were  flattened  and  punched  or  bored  with  holes  through  the 
flat  portion.  A  small  rivet,  and  in  some  cases  two,  was  then  inserted, 
and  this  was  burred  over  with  a  hammer  or  with  punches  (Fig.  15, 
18  ;  also  Plate  IV).  It  is  possible  that  some  kind  of  riveting-pincers 
were  used,  but  no  specimens  of  this  kind  of  tool  are  known. ^  Some- 
times the  ends  of  the  rings  are  welded,  which  would  be  done  by  heat- 
ing them  and  hammering  them  together.  Before  the  rings  were  joined 
up  they  were  interlaced  one  with  another,  each  ring  passing  through 

^  The  History  of  Inventions.  Beckman. 

2  See  Dover  Castle  Inventory^  p.  25.    The  "nailtoules"  may  have  been  used  for  this  purpose. 

44 


BREASTPLATE  FOR  BRIGANDINE,  1470, 
SHOWING  ARMOURER'S  MARK 


RIGHT  CUISSK  Ol'  ARMllL^K    loU    l:AKIxll  KS 
SHOWING  ARMOURER'S  MARK 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER  45 


four  others.  Occasionally,  to  obtain  increased  strength,  two  rings  were 
used  for  every  one  of  the  ordinary  mail,  but  representations  of  this 
double  mail  are  rare.  The  terms  "  haubert  doublier,"  "haubert  a  maille 
double,"  and  "  haubert  clavey  de  double 
maille  "  are  found  in  French  inventories, 
and  in  the  inventory  of  Louis  X  which 
has  been  quoted  before  we  find  "33 
gorgieres  doubles  de  Chambli,  un  pans  et 
uns  bras  de  roondes  mailles,  une  couver- 
ture  de  mailles  rondes  demy  cloies." 
These  different  items  suggest  that  there 
were  various  ways  of  making  mail  and  of 
putting  it  together.  The  double  mail  has 
been  noticed, and  the  mail  "demy  clones" 
was  probably  mail  in  which  the  ends  of 
the  links  were  closed  with  only  one  rivet. 
The  maile  roond "  being  specially 
scheduled  points  to  the  fact  that  some- 
times mail  was  made  of  flat  rings,  but 

whether  cut  from  the        Fig-  18.    Method  of  making  mail. 

sheet  of  metal  or  merely  of  flattened  wire  it  is  im- 
possible to  say. 

Where  the  covering  of  mail  was  not  made  in  one 
piece — that  is,  when  the  shirt,  leggings,  sleeves,  or 
coif  were  made  to  open — they  were  fastened  by  laces. 
The  chausses,  or  leggings  of  mail,  were  often  laced 
at  the  back  of  the  leg,  as  is  shown  in  the  sketch- 
book of  Wilars  de  Honecourt,  thirteenth  century, 
figured  in  Armour  and  Weapons  (Plate  I)  by  the 
present  author.    The  coif  of  mail  was  generally  kept 
close  to  the  head  by  a  thong  round  the  temples  (Fig. 
23,  8),  and  was  in  some  instances  fastened  in  front 
with  an  overlapping  flap  and  a  lace  (Fig.  20). 
The  Camail,  or  tippet  of  mail,  which  is  the  distinctive  detail  of  the 
armour  of  the  late  fourteenth  and  early  fifteenth  century,  was  either 
hung  from  a  flat  plate  of  metal  which  was  fitted  over  the  vervelles  or 


Fig.  19.  Sculptured  repre- 
sentation of  (i)  double 
and  (2)  single  mail  on  the 
effigy  of  R.  de  Mauley, 
1242,  formerly  in  York 
Minster  {Archceologia, 
XXXI). 


46         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


staples  on  the  bascinet  and  kept  in  place  by  a  lace  or  a  thick  wire,  or 
the  mail  itself  was  hung  over  the  vervelles  and  the  plate  fitted  over  it 
and  secured  in  the  same  way.    This  latter  method  appears  to  have  been 

more  commonly  in  use,  to  judge  from 
sculptured  effigies  and  brasses.  A 
bascinet  in  the  Ethnological  Museum, 
Athens,^  shows  the  vervelles,  plate, 
and  wire  that  secured  it  still  in  place, 
but  the  mail  has  all  corroded  and  dis- 
appeared. A  good  restoration  of  the 
camail  on  a  bascinet  with  a  leather  band 
instead  of  a  flat  plate  is  to  be  found 
in  the  Wallace  Collection  (No.  74). 

In  the  thirteenth  century  we  find 
one  of  the  most  unpractical  of  all  the 
armourer's  contrivances  in  the  nasal 
flap — hinged  or  laced  to  the  camail, 
hanging  down  over  the  chin  when  not 
in  use,  and  fastened,  when  required, 
to  the  bascinet  by  a  pin  or  hook.  The  nasal  of  the  eleventh  century, 
figured  on  the  Bayeux  Tapestry  and  elsewhere,  was  practical  because  it 
provided  a  defence  for  the  nose  and  face  which  was  as  rigid  as  the 
helmet  itself ;  but  this  later  nasal  could 
only  protect  the  wearer  from  the  actual 
cutting  of  the  skin,  for  the  full  force  of  the 
blows  would  be  felt  almost  as  much  as  if 
there  were  no  defence  at  all.  These  nasals 
are  figured  so  frequently  in  Hewitt,  Hefner, 
and  elsewhere  that  no  special  illustration  is 
necessary  in  the  present  work. 

A  variety  of  mail  which,  from  the  sculp- 
tured effigies  and  from  miniatures  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  appears  to  have  been  in  high  favour,  has  come  to  be 
known  as  "Banded  Mail." 

In  both  painted  and  sculptured  records  the  methods  of  representa- 

^  Archaologia,  LXII. 


Fig.  20.  Coif  of  Mail,  (i)  Effigy  of  William 
Mareschal,  Earl  of  Pembroke, Temple  Church. 
{2)  Effigy  in  Pershore  Church,  Worcs  (from 
Fairholt). 


Fig.  21. 
Attachment  of  Ca- 
mail, effigy  of  Sir 
R.  Pembridge,Cle- 
honger  Church, 
Hereford. 


Fig.  22. 
Attachment  of 
Camail. 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER  47 


Fig.  23.    Banded  Mail. 

I,  2,  3.  Suggested  reinforcements  of  chain  mail  by  leather  thongs. 

4.  Rings  covered  with  leather  ;  5,  section  of  same. 

6.  Meyrick's  suggestion  ;  7,  section  of  same. 

8.  From  Romance  of  Alexander,  Bib.  Nat.,  Paris,  circ.  1240. 

9.  Effigy  at  Newton  Solney,  Derbs  ;  10,  section  of  same. 


48         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


tion  differ  considerably  from  those  employed  to  suggest  the  ordinary 
mail  of  interlaced  rings. 

In  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  when  the  subject  of  armour  began 
to  be  seriously  studied,  this  banded  mail  was  the  subject  of  many  theories 
and  suggestions.  Meyrick  considered  that  it  was  composed  of  rings  sewn 
on  to  a  fabric,  overlapping  each  other  sideways ;  but  a  practical  experi- 
ment will  prove  that  such  an  arrangement  would  be  impossible,  as  the 
weight  would  be  excessive  and  the  curve  of  the  body  would  cause  the 
rings  to  "gape."  Other  writers  have  considered  that  the  same  arrange- 
ment of  rings,  covered  with  leather  which  would  prevent  the  "gaping,"  is 
the  correct  solution  ;  but  here  again  the  heat  would  be  a  grave  drawback.^ 

An  important  point  on  all  representations  of  banded  mail  is  that, 
when  part  of  the  garment  is  shown  turned  back,  the  back  is  the  same 
as  the  front.  The  most  practical  suggestion  was  put  forward  by  the 
late  J.  G.  Waller,^  who  considered  that  it  was  simply  chain  mail  with 
leather  thongs  threaded  through  every  row  or  every  alternate  row  of 
links.  This  would  give  a  solidity  to  an  otherwise  too-pliant  fabric, 
and  would  keep  the  mail  in  its  place,  especially  on  the  arms  and  legs. 
It  would  also  show  the  same  arrangement  of  rings  back  and  front. 

The  drawing  from  the  Romance  of  Alexander  goes  far  to  prove 
that  Waller's  theory  is  the  right  one,  for  here  the  thongs  are  not  shown 
on  hands  and  head,  where  greater  pliability  of  the  mail  was  required, 
and  yet  these  defences  appear  to  be  part  of  the  same  garment  which 
shows  the  "  banded  "  lines. 

It  is  almost  superfluous  to  add  that  no  specimen  of  this  kind  of 
defence  survives  to-day,  but  Oriental  mail  is  sometimes  found  stiffened 
in  this  manner  with  leather  thongs. 

The  wearing  of  mail  survived  longer  than  is  generally  supposed. 
Holinshed,  writing  in  1586  (page  90  of  the  present  work),  mentions 
shirts  of  mail  as  part  of  the  ordinary  equipment  of  the  foot-soldier.  On 
Plate  8  of  Derricke's  Image  of  Ireland  the  mounted  officer  wears  mail 
sleeves,  and  in  an  inventory  of  Hengrave  Hall,  Suffolk,  taken  in  1603, 
we  find  gorgets  and  shirts  of  mail,  and  barrels  for  cleaning  the  same. 
Edward  Davies,  writing  in  16 19  (The  ^Art  of  IVarre)^  distinctly  states 
that  the  arquebussiers  wore  a  shirt  of  mail  (see  page  115). 

^  Arch.  Journ.y  XXXVII,  ^  Archaologiuy  LIX. 


ARMOUR  PRP:SENTED  to  henry  VIII  BV  THE  EMPEUOR  .MAXIM  I  I.I  AN. 
MADE  P.V  CONRAD  SEUSENHOFER,  lOU 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER  49 


The  Brigandine  and  splinted  armour  were  made  by  riveting  small 
plates  or  horizontal  lames  on  to  a  fabric  foundation.  In  the  former 
the  fabric  was  outside,  and  rich  ornamentation  was  obtained  by  the  gilt 
rivet-heads  which  held  the  plates  to  the  outer  covering  (see  page  150). 
In  the  latter  case  the  metal  was  on  the  outside  and  was  riveted  on  to  a 
foundation  of  linen.  In  some  cases  the  rows  of  small  plates  are  divided 
by  strips  of  fine  mail.  There  was  no  particular  craft  needed  in  making 
the  brigandine,  but  the  metal  used  was  often  of  proof  and  was  marked 
with  the  maker's  name  to  attest  it. 

As  may  be  seen  on  Plate  XI  and  Fig.  36,  the  small  plates  of  the 
brigandine  are  wider  at  the  top  than  at  the  bottom,  and  overlap  upwards. 
The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  human  torse  is  narrower  at  the  waist  than 
at  the  chest,  and  the  plates  could  not  overlap  each  other  and  yet  con- 
form to  the  lines  of  the  figure  if  they  overlapped  downwards. 

Although  lighter  and  more  pliable  defences  than  the  cuirass,  the 
brigandine  and  jack  were  very  effectual  for  protection  against  arrows, 
for  we  find,  according  to  Walsingham,^  that  the 
rioters  under  Wat  Tyler  shot  at  a  jack  belonging 
to  the  Duke  of  Lancaster,  but  were  unable  to 
damage  it,  and  eventually  cut  it  to  pieces  with 
swords  and  axes. 

The  jack  or  canvas  coat  of  Sir  John  Willoughby, 
temp.  Elizabeth,  now  at  Woolaton  Hall,  is  formed 
of  stout  canvas  inside  and  out  stuffed  with  two 
layers  of  tow  with  horn  discs  in  between.  The 
whole  is  kept  together  by  a  series  of  lacings  which 
appear  on  the  outside  as  lines  and  triangles  of  the 
same  kind  as  those  shown  on  Fig.  25.  It  is  com- 
posed of  six  panels,  two  for  the  breast,  two  for  the 
back,  and  two  small  ones  for  the  shoulders.  A 
portrait  of  Willoughby  in  the  Painted  Gallery  at 
Greenwich  shows  such  a  jack  with  red  cords. 
The  jack  was  generally  lined  with  metal  plates  and  examples  of  this 
may  be  seen  in  the  Tower  (III,  335,  336).  These  are  also  made  up  of 
six  panels  and  weigh  about  17  lb.  each.    They  are  composed  of  about 

^  Historia  Anglicana^  Rolls  Series,  p,  457. 


Fig.  24 


Figfure  wearing 
Jack  (from  Chasse  of  S. 
Ursula,  by  Memling, 
1475-85,  Bruges). 


50         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Fig.  25. 


Construction  of  Jack. 

A.  Outside. 

B.  Plates   with  cover 
and  cords  removed. 


1 1 64  metal  plates^  (Fig.  25).  In  the  Shuttleworth  accounts  published 
by  the  Chetham  Society  are  to  be  found  entries  of  yards  of  linen 
to  make  a  "steel  coat,"  a  pound  of  slape  or  pitch,  two  dozen  points  or 

laces  for  two  coats,  and  1650  steel  plates.  The 
cost  of  the  coat,  inclusive  of  making,  would 
come  to  about  jTi.  A  cap,  constructed  in 
the  same  manner  of  small  plates,  is  shown 
in  the  Burges  Collection  at  the  British  Museum 
and  is  figured  in  the  Guide  to  the  Mediaeval 
Room  on  page  62. 

The  brigandine  was  sometimes  reinforced 
with  large  placcates  of  steel,  one  on  each 
breast,  riveted  to  the  fabric  which  composed 
the  whole  defence.  An  example  of  this  nature 
exists  in  the  Waffensammlung  at  Vienna,  and  there  are  also  several  of 
these  reinforcing  plates,  the  brigandines  of  which  have  perished,  in  the 
Ethnological  Museum  at  Athens  (Fig.  26).  These  latter  were  found 
in  the  castle  of  Chalcis,  which  was  taken  by 
the  Turks  from  the  Venetians  in  1470,  so  they 
can  be  dated  with  accuracy.^  On  one  of  the 
plates  is  a  mark  which  strongly  resembles  the 
mark  of  Antonio  Missaglia  (see  Plates  XI,  XVI). 
These  brigandines  with  solid  breast-pieces  are 
described  in  Appendix  D,  page  177.  Both 
these  plates  and  the  example  at  Vienna  are  fitted 
with  lance-rests  which  seem  to  be  eminently 
unpractical,  as  the  garment  is  more  or  less 
pliant  and  would  not  be  of  much  use  in 
sustaining  the  weight  of  a  lance.  The  most 
curious  of  these  reinforcing  plates  is  to  be 
found  in  the  picture  of  S.  Victor  by  Van  der 
Goes,  circ.  1450,  which  is  now  in  the  Municipal 
Gallery  at  Glasgow.  Here  the  uppermost  part  of  the  torse  is  protected 
by  strong  plates  of  steel,  but  the  abdomen  is  only  covered  by  the 
brigandine  (Fig.  27).    As  an  example  of  this  fashion  of  armour  and  as 


Fig.  26. 


Brigandine  at  Vienna, 
No.  130. 


^  Arch.  J  our  71.,  LX. 


2  u 


Italian  Armour  at  Chalcis,"  C.  Ifoulkes,  Archaologia,  LXII. 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER  5i 


a  most  careful  representation  of  detail  this  picture  is  as  valuable  as  it 
is  unique.  Splinted  armour  is  practically  the  brigandine  without  a 
covering,  but  made  usually  of  stronger  plates  or 
lames.  The  fact  that  the  body  was  covered  by 
a  series  of  small  plates  ensured  greater  freedom 
and  ease  in  movement  than  was  possible  with 


Fig.  27.    S.  Victor,  by  Van 
der  Goes,  Glasgow. 


Fig.  28.    Effigy  at  Ash  Church,  Kent,  fourteenth  century. 

solid  breast  and  back  plates.  The  monument  in 
Ash  Church  and  the  statue  of  S.  George  at  Prague 
are  good  examples  of  the  splinted  armour  of  the 
fourteenth  century  (Figs.  28,  29). 

That  the  skill  of  the  sixteenth-century  ar- 
mourer surpassed  that  of  the  present-day  crafts- 
man is  evident  after  careful  examination  of  some 
of  the  triple-combed  Burgonets  and  Morions  of 
the  middle  of  the  century.  They  are  often  found 
forged  in  one  piece  with  no  sign  of  join  or 
welding,  and  what  is  more  remarkable  still,  there 
is  but  little  difference  in  the  thickness  of  the 
metal  all  over  the  piece.  Now,  when  a  smith 
hollows  out  a  plate  of  metal  into  a  bowl-like  form, 
the  edges  are  generally  thicker  than  the  inside  of 
the  bowl ;  but  in  many  of  these  head-pieces  the 
metal  is  almost  of  equal  thickness  all  over,  a  tour 
de  force  which  few  metal-workers  to-day  could 
imitate.^  This  thinning  of  the  metal  was  utilized 
to  a  great  extent  in  the  different  portions  of  the 
suit  which  were  not  exposed  to  attack.    As  will  be  found  in  the  chapter 

1  Cf.  Baron  de  Cosson,  Arch.  Jouriu,  XXXVII,  p.  79. 


Fig.  29.    Statue  of  S.  George, 
Prague,  1375. 


52         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


on  "  Proof,"  the  back-plates  were  generally  thinner  than  the  breasts.  In 
jousting-helms  the  top  of  the  skull,  which,  from  the  position  of  the  rider 
when  jousting,  was  most  exposed  to  the  lance,  was  generally  much  thicker 
than  the  back  of  the  helm,  where  there  was  no  chance  of  attack. 

Again,  the  left  side  of  both  jousting  and  war  harness  is  frequently 
thicker  than  the  right,  for  it  was  here  that  the  attack  of  both  lance  and 
sword  was  directed.  Up  to  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century  the 
shield,  hung  on  the  left  arm,  was  used  as  an  extra  protection  for  this 
the  more  vulnerable  side  of  the  man-at-arms,  but  it  seriously  interfered 
with  the  management  of  the  horse.  By  the  sixteenth  century  it  was 
discarded  and  the  armour  itself  made  stronger  on  the  left  side  both  by 
increased  thickness  and  also  by  reinforcing  pieces  such  as  the  Grand- 
garde,  the  Passgarde,  and  the  Manteau  d'armes. 

Perhaps  the  most  ingenious  contrivance  used  in  making  the  suit  of 
armour  is  the  sliding  rivet  (Fig.  30).    This  contrivance  has  come  to  be 

called  the  "Almain  rivet"  in 
modern  catalogues  in  a  sense 
never  found  in  contemporary 
documents.  In  these  documents 
the  "Almain  rivet"  is  a  light 
half-suit  of  German  origin,  made 
up  of  breast,  back,  and  tassets, 
with  sometimes  arm  -  pieces. 
The  word  "rivet"  was  employed 
in  the  sixteenth  century  for  a  suit 
of  armour,  for  Hall  uses  the  word 
frequently  in  his  Chronicles.  This  word  is  therefore  more  probably 
derived  from  the  same  root  as  the  French  revetir^  rather  than  from  the 
rivets  which  were  used  in  the  making  of  the  suit.  Up  to  the  sixteenth 
century  the  rivet  as  we  know  it  to-day  is  always  called  an  "arming- nail," 
and  it  is  only  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century  that  we  find  the  word 
rivet  used  as  part  of  the  armourer's  stock-in-trade.  These  light  suits  were 
put  together  with  sliding  rivets,  which  have  at  the  present  day  received  the 
name  originally  given  to  the  whole  suit.  The  head  of  the  rivet  is  burred 
over  and  fixed  in  the  upper  plate,  but  the  lower  plate  is  slotted  for  about 
three-quarters  of  an  inch,  so  that  it  will  play  up  and  down  on  the  shank 


Fig.  30. 


2  3 
Sliding  rivet  showing'  (i)  front,  (2)  side, 
(3)  back. 


PLATE  XIII 


ARMET  OF  SIR  HENRV  I.KE,  I!V  JACOB  TOPF,  l.-,30-l.-,- 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER  53 


of  the  rivet  and  give  more  freedom  of  action  than  the  fixed  rivet ;  at  the 
same  time  it  will  not  allow  the  two  plates  to  slide  so  far  apart  as  will 
uncover  the  limb  or  body  of  the  wearer.  These  sliding  rivets  were  used 
to  join  the  upper  and  lower  portions  of  the  breastplate  which  was  in 
fashion  in  the  last  years  of  the  fifteenth  century,  so  as  to  allow  a  certain 
amount  of  movement  for  the  torse  backwards  and  forwards.  They  were 
also  employed  to  join  the  taces,  which  needed  a  certain  amount  of  play 
when  mounting  a  horse  or  when  sitting.  When  the  "lobster-tail"  cuisse 
superseded  the  taces  and  tassets  in  the  late  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
centuries  they  were  used  instead  of  the  fixed  rivets  for  joining  the  lames 
of  the  cuisse. 

The  most  ingenious  arrangement  of  sliding  rivets,  however,  is  to  be 
found  on  the  brassards  of  the  late  fifteenth  to  the  seventeenth  century. 
As  has  been  noticed  on  page  6,  the  armourer  had  to  consider  in  this 
case  both  the  defensive  needs  of  his  patron  and  also  the  necessity  for 
using  his  arm  as  conveniently  as  was  consistent  with  safety. 

Now  the  only  actions  needed  for  the  right  arm  are  those  of  holding 
the  lance  in  rest  and  of  striking  with  the  sword.  The  arm-defence 
therefore  had  to  be  so  constructed  that  the  arm  could  be  bent  for  the 
former  and  raised  for  the  latter.  To  do  this  the  lames  of  the  rerebrace 
are  joined  with  sliding  rivets  at  the  hinder  corners,  but  at  the  front 
corners  they  are  joined  with  a  strap  fastened  vertically  to  the  top  plate 
of  the  brassart  and  riveted,  when  extended  straight,  to  each  lame. 

This  allows  play  for  the  lames  in  the  two  above-mentioned  positions, 
but  when  the  arm  is  dropped,  after  the  blow  has  been  delivered,  the 
lames  automatically  close  one  over  the  other  and  completely  protect 
the  arm  and  allow  no  backward  movement. 

The  same  arrangement  is  found  on  the  laminated  cuisses  and  tassets, 
in  which  the  inner  edges  of  the  lames  are  joined  by  a  strap  and  the 
outer  by  sliding  rivets.  This  combination  of  sliding  rivet  and  strap  is 
shown  on  Fig.  7  and  on  Plate  IX. 

Another  ingenious  arrangement  on  the  brassard  is  the  turned-over 
edge  or  the  embossed  rim  fitting  in  a  collar,  both  of  which  allow  the 
lower  part  of  the  rerebrace  to  turn  horizontally  to  adapt  it  to  the  out- 
ward action  of  the  hand  and  arm.  In  most  suits  the  bossings  of  the 
rims  are  outside,  but  on  the    Engraved  Suit "  (II,  5)  in  the  Tower  they 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


are  inside.  The  former  gives  a  smooth  surface  to  the  wearer's  arm  and 
the  latter  presents  a  smooth  surface  to  the  opposing  weapon  (Fig.  31). 

A  similar  rim  and  collar  are  found  on  close  helmets  and  gorgets  of 
the  sixteenth  century  (Plate  XIII).  Meyrick/  misreading  Fauchet's^ 
reference  to  the  burgonet,  considered  this  helmet  with  a  lower  edge 

fitting  into  the  gorget  to  be  the 
burgonet,  but  he  brought  no  real 


1 


evidence  to  support  his  assertion. 
11     Although  the  helmet  and  gorget 
5)   fitted  one  over  the  other  and  there- 
^  f( 


ore  surmounted  one  of  the  chief 
dangers  in  war  or  joust,  when  the 
lance  might  penetrate  the  space 
between  these  two  portions  of  the 
suit,  it  will  be  seen  on  examination 
of  any  suit  of  this  kind  that  from 
the  oblique  position  of  the  gorget 
the  embossed  rim  of  the  helmet 
could  not  possibly  turn  in  the 
hollowed  rim  of  the  gorget,  so 
that  it  can  only  be  considered  as 
a  defensive  improvement  which  in 
no  way  added  to  the  convenience 
in  use,  if  anything  it  rather  ham- 
pered the  wearer,  as  he  could  only 
turn  his  head  inside  the  helmet 
and  that  to  no  great  extent.  In 
some  late  suits  a  pin  fixed  at  the  back  of  the  gorget  comes  through 
a  hole  in  the  lower  edge  of  the  helmet  and  prevents  any  possible 
movement. 

It  is  almost  superfluous  to  mention  the  straps  which  join  the  various 
portions  of  the  suit.  These  are  always  placed,  where  possible,  in 
positions  where  they  are  protected  from  injury  ;  as,  for  example,  on  the 
jambs  they  are  on  the  inside  of  the  leg,  next  to  the  horse  when  the 
wearer  is  mounted,  and  the  hinge  of  the  jamb  being  of  metal  is  on 


Fig.  31.  Sections  of  Rerebraces. 

1.  "Engraved  Suit,"  Tower,  II,  5,  1514. 

2.  Tower,  II,  6,  1540. 

3.  Tower,  II,  7,  1570. 

4.  Wallace  Collection,  340. 


^  Ant'tent  Armour,  IT,  164. 


Origifies  des  Chevalivers,  etc.,  1 606,  p.  I42. 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER  55 


the  outside.  In  some  cases  the  end  of  the  strap  after 
being  buckled  fits  into  a  shoe  "  bossed  out  of  the 
armour  plate  (Fig.  33). 

It  is  practically  impossible  to  notice  the  various 
forms  of  turning  or  locking  pins  used  for  joining  parts 
of  a  suit.  The  general  principle  is  that  of  a  turning 
rivet  with  a  flat,  fan,  or  hook  shaped  head  which,  fitting 
into  an  oblong  slot  in  the  upper  plate,  can  be  turned 
at  right  angles  to  hold  the  two  plates  together.  There 
are  many  varieties  of  this  fastening,  based  upon  the  same 
principle,  but  those  existing  at  the  present  day  are  often 
modern  restorations.  In  suits  for  the  joust  or  tourney 
these  adjustable  fastenings  could  not  always  be  depended 
upon,  and  the  great  helm,  the  manteau  d'armes,  and  the  fig- 

^  ,  ^    P  ,  ....  Gauntlet    of  Sir 

passgarde  were  orten  screwed  on  to  the  suit  with  square     Henry  Lee,  Ar- 
or  polygonal  headed  bolts  tightened  with  a  spanner.  Lo^idon"^^ 

The  gauntlet  was  sometimes  capable  of  being 
locked,  for  the  unfingered  flap  which  covered  the  fingers  was  prolonged 


52.  Locking 


4 


I 


d 


c 


u 


4- 

Fig.  33. 


Locking  hooks,  turning  pins,  and  strap-cover. 


SO  as  to  reach  the  wrist, 
where  it  fastened  over  a 
pin.  This  was  used  in  foot 
jousts  to  prevent  the  weapon 
from  being  struck  out  of 
the  hand  and  is  sometimes 
called  the  "  forbidden 
gauntlet,"  an  absurd  term 
when  we  consider  that 
many  fine  suits  are  provided 
with  this  appliance,  which 
would  not  be  the  case  if  its 
use  were  not  allowed  (Fig. 
32,  also  Plate  XXII). 

A  few  of  the  fastenings 
used  to  hold  the  different 
parts  of  the  suit  together  are 
shown  on  Fig.  33.  The 


56         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


hook  (No.  i)  is  found  on  the  armets  made  by  Topf  (page  21  and  Plate 
XIII).  Here  the  hook  A  is  shown  in  position  fastening  the  visor  over  a 
button  D.  When  it  is  necessary  to  open  the  visor  a  leather  thong  which 
was  attached  at  C  is  pulled  and  at  the  same  time  the  button  F  is  pressed. 
This  depresses  a  spring  riveted  to  the  visor  at  G  and  projecting  with  a 
small  tongue  at  E.  The  depression  of  E  allows  the  hook  to  be  moved 
back  and  the  visor  to  be  raised.  When  the  hook  is  moved  forward  to  close 
the  visor  the  tongue  E  springs  up  and  locks  the  whole  firmly.  No.  2  of 
the  same  figure  is  another  contrivance  for  locking  plates  together,  and 
is  found  on  695,  Wallace  Collection,  and  elsewhere.  C  C  C  is  the 
section  of  the  armour  plate.  The  hook  is  pivoted  at  C  and  is  fitted 
with  a  spring  at  D.  When  the  leather  lace  at  A  is  pulled  the  tongue 
of  the  hook  B  is  brought  back  flush  with  the  plate  C  and  allows 
the  visor  to  be  raised.  When  the  visor  is  closed  the  hook  springs  back 
to  its  position  and  locks  the  plates  together.  No.  3  is  a  catch  of  the 
same  kind,  but  is  worked  by  a  spring  of  the  same  kind  as  that  which 
locks  the  "  Topf"  hook.  The  pressing  of  the  button  A  sets  back  the 
hook  B,  which  is  riveted  to  the  plate  at  D.  No.  4  is  a  "  spring  pin," 
or  "  federzapfen "  as  they  are  called  in  German  and  auberon "  in 
French.  The  small  flange  let  into  the  pin  is  kept  pressed  outwards  by 
a  spring  and  is  pressed  back  to  slip  the  pauldron,  in  which  is  a  hole 
cut  for  the  purpose,  over  the  pin.  No.  5  shows  a  series  of  turning 
pins  which  are  riveted  to  the  lower  plate  in  taces,  cuisses,  tassets,  etc., 
but  can  be  turned  at  will.  The  upper  plates  that  are  fastened  by  these 
pins  are  pierced  with  narrow  oblong  slits  through  which  the  flat  head 
of  the  pin  can  be  passed  ;  a  turn  at  right  angles  locks  the  two  plates 
closely.  No.  6  is  an  ingenious  contrivance  found  on  1086,  Wallace 
Collection.  The  armour  plate  is  bossed  upwards  to  form  a  covering 
for  the  free  end  of  the  strap  when  buckled,  to  prevent  the  chance  of 
this  loose  piece  of  leather  being  cut  ofi^  or  of  hindering  the  wearer  in 
any  way. 

On  Fig.  34  is  shown  the  support  for  the  j ousting- sallad,  without 
which  it  was  always  liable  to  be  struck  off".  It  is  screwed  with  wing 
nuts  to  the  crest  of  the  sallad  and  to  the  back  of  the  cuirass.  The 
reinforcing  piece  for  face  and  breast  of  the  same  nature  as  the  men- 
tonniere  and  grandguard.    These  various  methods  of  fastening  plates 


PARADE  ARMOUR 
1.  FOR  KINC  SEIJASTIAN  OF  I'ORTUGAL,  I!V  ANTON  I'F, FFKN H AUSEk,  I.VJ.VICIW 
•2.  FOR  CHARLES  V,  I!V  HARTOLOMEO  CAMI'I,  154r, 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER  57 


together  can  be  only  studied  to  advantage  by  careful  examination  of 
actual  suits,  and  even  here  there  is  always  the  chance  that  they  may  be 
modern  restorations.  Perhaps  the  most  elaborately  contrived  suit  in 
existence  is  that  made  for  Henry  VIII  for  fighting  on  foot  in  the  lists 
(Tower,  II,  28).  This  covers  the  wearer  com- 
pletely with  lames  back  and  front,  and  allows  as 
much  movement  as  is  possible  in  a  suit  weighing 
93  lb.  (Plate  VIII).  It  is  composed  of  235 
separate  pieces,  all  of  different  form.  There 
are  similar  suits  in  the  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris 
(G,  178,  179)  of  a  more  ornate  character.  The 
cuisse  of  one  of  these  suits  is  shown  on  Plate  XI 
and  the  inside  of  the  cuisse  of  the  Tower  suit 
on  Plate  IX.  While  dealing  with  this  question 
of  the  pieces  that  compose  a  suit,  it  should  be 
noted  that  the  "  Leicester  "  suit  in  the  Tower 
(II,  10)  is  made  up  of  194  pieces,  and  a  suit  at 
Madrid  (A,  164,  the  "  Muhlberg "  suit  of  Charles  V)  requires  one 
mounted  and  six  unmounted  figures  to  show  it  off  completely. 


Fig.  34 


Bracket  for  jousting- 
sallad  and  reinforcing  bevor, 
Dresden,  C,  3,  4. 


THE  MAKING  OF  ARMOUR  IN  ENGLAND,  FROM 
CONTEMPORARY  DOCUMENTS 

1 32 1.  Edward  II  sends  David  le  Hope,  armour-smith,  to  Paris  to  learn 

the  method  of  making  sword-blades  for  battle. 

1322.  Regulations  concerning  the  covering  of  helmets  with  fabric  and  the 
selling  of  old  and  broken  helmets.  Arm.  Co..,  Lond.  (see  Appendix  A). 

1 347.  Regulations  of  the  Heaumers'  Co.    City  of  London  Letter  Book.,  F, 
fol.  cxlii  (see  Appendix  B). 

1355.  The  Mayor  and  Sheriffs  of  London  ordered  to  appraise  the  armour 
in  the  armourers'  shops.    Rymer,  III.,  v,  817. 

1365.  The  armourers  of  London  are  in  full  work,  but  the  results  are  not 
satisfactory.  The  King  (Edward  HI)  insists  on  proof  or  trade 
marks.  "  Certa  signa  sua  super  omnibus  operationibus  suis  ponant." 
Rymer,  III,  772. 

1386.  Armourers  are  forbidden  to  increase  the  prices  of  their  wares. 
Rymer,  III,  546. 

8 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


408.  Oct.  12.  Petition  to  the  Mayor  and  Aldermen  of  London  against 
foreign  importers  who  use  marks  similar  to  English  marks,  and 
praying  to  keep  the  price  fixed  and  regulated  by  the  masters  of  the 
cutlers  and  bladesmiths  jointly.  Agreed  to  by  the  Mayor.  City 
of  London  Letter  Books,  l^fol.  Ixxi. 

434.  This  is  very  similar  to  the  Ordinances  of  the  Hastings  MS.  noticed 
in  Archceologia,  LVII.  It  is  given  here  in  full,  as  it  is  the  only 
literary  effort  of  an  armourer  that  is  known  in  England.  Treatise 
on  Worship  in  Arms,  by  Johan  Hill,  armourer  (Bod.  Lib.  Ash.,  856) 
(see  Appendix  C). 

436.  Proclamation  forbidding  the  armourers  to  increase  their  prices, 
Fcedera,  Rymer,  X,  647. 

509.  Sir  Nicholas  Vaux,  Lieutenant  at  Guisnes,  orders  all  the  garrison  to 
be  English  except  gunners,  crossbow-makers,  spies,  beer-brewers, 
armourers,  and  smiths.     Cal.  State  Papers,  Hen.  Fill,  Vol.  I. 

511.  Payments  made  for  a  forge  for  Milanese  armourers  at  Greenwich. 

514.  The  armourers  from  Brussels  are  installed  by  Henry  VIH  at 

Greenwich. 

515.  Almain  or  German  armourers  mentioned  as  King's  servants. 

544.  A  complete  account  of  the  charges  of  the  King's  Armoury,  with 
wages  of  the  workmen.  Brit.  Mus.,  Cott.  App.  XXVIII,  75  (see 
Appendix  F). 

.$$6.  Sir  John  Mason  reports  to  the  Council  that  he  has  obtained  50 
fardels  of  plate  for  harness  provided  by  the  Schorers  from  Augs- 
burg. In  Considerations  delivered  to  'Parliament  in  l^^Q  it  is  suggested 
"  that  iron  mills  be  banished  out  of  the  realme,  where  wood  was 
formerly  id.  the  load  at  the  stalk  now  by  reason  of  the  iron  mills 
it  is  2/-  the  load.  Formerly  Spanish  iron  was  sold  for  5  marks  the 
ton  now  there  are  iron  mills  English  iron  is  sold  at  9/-."  This 
may  be  the  key  to  the  question  of  importation  of  armour  ready 
made.  Evidently  the  use  of  wood  in  iron-smelting  presented  a 
serious  difficulty.  As  may  be  seen  in  the  chapter  on  Iron  (p.  40), 
the  use  of  wood  in  the  furnaces  was  considered  a  grave  danger,  as 
it  took  material  which  should  have  been  used  for  shipbuilding. 
The  English  forests  were  limited  and  had  not  the  vast  acreage  of 
the  German  woods,  so  that  the  deforestation  was  merely  a  question 
of  time. 

1578.  Inquiry  as  to  a  dispute  between  the  armourers  and  blacksmiths  as 
to  right  of  search  for  armour,  etc.  The  judges  state  that  "  the 
Armourers  did  show  us  that  King  Edward  the  Second  did  grant  to 
the  Lord  Maior  and  his  bretheren  the  searche  with  the  armourers." 
Records  Arm.  Co.,  London. 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER 


1580.  Sir  Henry  Lee  made  Master  of  the  Armouries, 

1590.  Petition  of  the  armourers  of  London  to  Queen  EHzabeth  against  the 
importation  of  foreign  armour  and  workmen.  Lansdowne  MS.^ 
63,  5  (see  Appendix  G). 

161 1.  Survey  and  inventory  of  all  armour,  etc.,  in  the  armouries  of  the 
Tower,  Greenwich,  and  Windsor  in  the  late  custody  of  Sir  Henry 
Lee,  deceased,  and  now  of  Sir  Thos.  Monson,  Master  of  the 
Armoury.    State  Papers  Domestic,  Jac.  /,  Ixiv,  June  8. 

1 6 14.  Warrant  to  pay  to  Wm.  Pickering,  Master  of  the  Armoury  at 
Greenwich,  ^^200,  balance  of  ^^340,  for  armour  gilt  and  graven 
for  the  late  Prince.    Sign.  Man.,  Vol.  IV,  29. 

This  suit,  made  for  Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  is  now  in  the 
Royal  Collection  at  Windsor  (see  Plate  XX). 

161 8.  Undertaking  of  the  Armourers'  Company  to  make  certain  armours 
every  six  months  and  the  prices  of  the  same.  Records  of  the 
Armourers   Company  of  London  (see  Appendix  H). 

1619.  Proclamation  against  the  excessive  use  of  gold  and  silver  foliate 

except  for  armour  and  ensigns  of  honour.  S.P.D.Jac.  I,  cv,  Feb., 
Proclamations,  65  (see  Appendix  I). 

1 62 1.  Gild  of  Armourers  and  Smiths  incorporated  at  Shrewsbury  by 
James  L  The  "  Arbor  "  of  the  Gild  existed  at  Kingsland  in 
1862.  The  Gild  carried  a  figure  of  Vulcan  dressed  in  black 
armour  in  their  processions.  Their  motto  was  "  With  hammer 
and  hand  all  hearts  do  stand."  The  armour  is  in  the  Museum 
at  Shrewsbury.    Reliquary,  Vol.  III. 

1624.  Erection  of  plating-mills  at  Erith  by  Capt.  John  Martin.  S.P.D. 
Jac.  I,  clxxx,  71  (see  Appendix  J), 

1625.  Falkner  asks  for  an  inquiry  as  to  the  condition  of  the  Royal 

Armouries.    S.P.D.  Car.  I,  xiii,  96. 

1627.  Report  of  George,  Earl  of  Totnes,  on  Falkner's  petition  advising 
John  Cooper,  Keeper  of  the  King's  Brigandines,  to  surrender  his 
patent.    S.'P.D.  Car.  I,  liv,  i. 

Cooper  refuses  to  surrender  unless  his  arrears  of  1 6d.  a  day  for  a  year 
and  a  half  are  paid.    S.P.D.  Car.  I,  Iv,  70. 

1627.  Petition  of  Falkner  (Fawcknor)  as  to  the  condition  of  the  armouries, 
S.P.D.  Car.  I,  Ixxxiv,  5. 

1628.  Order  to  gun-makers,  saddlers,  and  cutlers  to  bring  patterns  of  their 

wares.    S.P.D.  Car.  I,  xcv,  March  10. 

1628.  Whetstone's  project  to  make  armour  lighter  and  as  good  as  proof. 
S.P.D.  Car.  I,  Ixxxix,  23.  No  details  as  to  the  process  are  given 
in  this  entry. 


60         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


1630.  Inquiry  into  the  work  done  in  the  State  armouries  of  the  Tower, 

Greenwich,  etc.,  with  hsts  of  the  Remaines,  moved  by  Roger 
Falkenor.  S.P.D.,  c/xxix,  65.  The  whole  of  this  document  is 
given  in  Antient  Armour,  Sir  S.  Meyrick,  III,  78. 

1 63 1.  Regulations  respecting  the  use  of  a  hall-mark  by  the  Armourers' 

Company.    Rymer,  XIX,  309  (see  Appendix  K). 

1635.  Petition  of  the  Workmen  Armourers  of  London  who  are  now  old 

and  out  of  work.    S.P.D.  Car.  /,  cctxxxix,  93  (see  Appendix  L). 

1636.  Benjamin  Stone,  blade-maker,  of  Hounslow  Heath,  states  that  he 

has,  at  his  own  charge  of  ^,^6000,  perfected  the  art  of  blade-making, 
and  that  he  can  make  "  as  good  as  any  that  are  made  in  the  Chris- 
tian world."    S.P.D.  Car.  I,  cccxli,  132. 

1660.  A  survey  of  the  Tower  Armoury  and  the  Remaines  contained  there- 
in. This  was  taken  after  the  Civil  War  and  shows  that  much  of 
the  working  plant  had  been  scattered.  Harl.  MS.  7457  (see 
Appendix  M). 

1666.  "Armour  of  the  Toyras  provision  with  headpeeces  whereof  made 
in  England  to  be  worn  with  the  said  armes."  Tower  Inv.  sub  ann. 
Meyrick  considers  that  this  was  made  at  Tours,  but  brings  no 
evidence  to  support  his  statement.  It  may  have  been  part  of  the 
equipment  of  the  infantry  under  Marechal  de  Toiras,  who  assisted 
Charles  I  against  the  Huguenots  in  La  Rochelle  in  1625.  Several 
breastplates  in  the  Tower  are  stamped  "Toiras." 

1666.  Col.  Wm.  Legge  appointed  Master  of  the  Armoury.  Legge  was 
Governor  of  Chester  in  1644,  Governor  of  Oxford  in  1645,  was 
offered  and  declined  an  earldom  by  Charles  II,  and  died  in  1672. 
His  eldest  son  was  created  Baron  Dartmouth. 

1685,  An  ordinance  of  James  IT  that  all  edged  tools,  armour,  and  all 
copper  and  brass  made  with  the  hammer  in  the  city  of  London 
should  be  approved  by  the  Armourers'  Company.  Records  of  the 
Company. 

There  are  no  details  relating  to  the  lives  of  any  of  the  known  English 
armourers  that  are  worth  recording.  Pickering,  the  pupil  of  Topf,  was 
the  most  celebrated,  and  the  record  of  his  position  of  Master  of  the 
Armourers'  Company  will  be  found  under  that  heading.  John  Blewbery, 
whose  name  occurs  in  several  entries  in  the  Letters  and  Papers  Foreign 
and  Domestic,  seems  to  have  been  merely  the  master- workman,  and  we 
have  no  evidence  that  he  attained  to  a  higher  position.  His  name 
does  not  appear  in  the  existing  records  of  the  Armourers'  Company. 
Asamus  or  Erasmus  Kyrkenor  first  appears  in  a  list  of  payments  in  i  5  1 8. 


PLATE  .W 


THE  CRAFT  OF  THE  ARMOURER  ei 


He  was  employed  to  make  candlesticks  and  for  "  garnishing  books  " 
with  clasps,  etc.,  in  1529,  when  presumably  there  was  a  slack  time  in 
the  armouries.  There  are  further  entries  of  this  nature  in  i  530,  1531, 
and  1532,  in  which  year  he  "garnished"  eighty-six  books.  In  1538 
he  was  made  Brigandarius  to  the  King,  vice  John  Gurre,  deceased  ;  but 
we  find  no  details  as  to  the  duties  of  this  office,  which  was  continued  to 
the  reign  of  Charles  I,  when  it  became  the  subject  of  a  complaint  from 
Roger  Falknor  (Appendix  J).  In  1 547  we  find  Erasmus  in  charge  of  the 
Greenwich  Armoury,  and  in  1593  a  note  of  the  will  of  Wm.  and  Robt. 
Mighill  states  that  they  were  the  grandsons  of  Erasmus  Kirkenor, 
deceased. 

A  list  of  English  armourers  is  given  on  page  126. 


THE  PROOF  OF  ARMOUR 


AS  soon  as  the  armed  man  realized  that  iron  and  steel  were  the  best 
/  %     defences  for  his  body,  he  would  naturally  insist  that  some  sort 

^  of  a  guarantee  should  be  given  him  of  the  efficacy  of  the  goods 
supplied  by  his  armourer.  This  system  of  proving  armour  would  be 
effected  by  using  those  weapons  most  commonly  in  use,  and  these,  in 
the  early  times,  were  the  sword,  the  axe,  the  lance,  the  bow,  and  the 
crossbow.  The  latter  seems  to  have  been  the  more  common  form  of 
proof,  though  as  late  as  the  seventeenth  century  we  have  evidence  that 
armour  was  proved  with  the  "  estrama^on  "  or  sword  blow.^ 

In  considering  the  proof  of  mail  we  are  met  with  certain  terms 
which  are  somewhat  difficult  of  explanation,  but  which  evidently  are 
intended  to  convey  the  fact  that  the  mail  mentioned  was  of  especially 
good  quality.  These  terms  are  "  haute  cloueur,"  "  demi-cloueur," 
"  botte  cassee,"  and  "botte." 

M.  Charles  Buttin,^  in  his  studies  on  the  arms  used  for  proving 
armour,  considers  that  "  botte  "  is  here  used  to  denote  a  blow  in  the 
sense  that  it  is  used  in  fencing  for  a  thrust  or  a  lunge  (It.  botta).  The 
word  "cassee"  he  takes  to  be  derived  also  from  the  Italian  "  casso," 
vain  or  empty. 

The  term  "haute"  or  " demi-cloueurs "  seems  rather  to  suggest  the 
single  or  double  riveting  of  each  link  of  mail.  Ordinary  mail  is  either 
welded  or  joined  with  one  rivet,  but  in  some  cases,  as  in  III,  339, 
Tower,  two  rivets  are  used  to  obtain  increased  strength  for  the  fabric 
(see  also  page  44). 

Mail  seems  to  have  been  proof  against  arrows  at  a  very  early  period, 
for  we  find  in  the  Chronicon  Colmariense^  under  the  year  1398,  the 
statement  that  the  men-at-arms  wore  "  camisiam  ferream,  ex  circulis 
ferreis  contextam,  per  quae  nulla  sagitta  arcus  poterat  hominem  vulne- 
rare."  The  earliest  entry  of  this  mail  of  proof  is  found  in  the  Inventory 

1  Gaya,  op.  cit.  ^  Revue  Savoisietine,  1 906,  fasc.  4. 

62 


THE  PROOF  OF  ARMOUR 


63 


of  Louis  X  (le  Hutin)  of  France,  which  is  here  given  together  with 
other  entries  of  the  different  expressions  used  with  regard  to  proof  of 
this  nature. 

1 316.  Inventory  of  Louis  le  Hutin.    Bib.  Richel..,  MS.  Jr.,  7^SS' 

Item  uns  pans^  et  uns  bras  de  roondes  mailles  de  haute  cloueur. 
Uns  de  meme  d'acier  plus  fors. 

Item  uns  couverture  a  cheval  .  .  .  de  jaseran  de  fer,  uns  de  mailes 
rondes  demy  clouees. 

In  this  entry  there  is  evidently  a  variety  of  mail  which  is  even 
stronger  than  that  of  "haute  cloueur,"  but  this  may  possibly  be  of  stouter 
or  better-tempered  metal.  The  horse-armour  would  not  need  to  be  of 
such  high  proof  as  that  of  the  man,  because  from  its  form  it  would  be 
more  or  less  in  folds  when  the  horse  was  in  action  and  would  therefore 
present  double  thicknesses  to  the  weapon.  An  illustration  of  the  mail- 
clad  horse  is  given  in  the  present  writer's  Armour  and  Weapons^  and 
also  in  Monumenta  Vetusia^  Vol.  VI. 

1390.  Archives  Camerales  de  'Turin  Comptes  Tres.  gen.  de  Savoie,  No.  38, 
fol.  62V. 

Achettez  de  Simond  Brufaler  armeur,  de  mons  .  .  .  per  le  pris  de 
un  auberjon  d'acier  de  toute  botte. 

This  expression  "  de  toute  botte"  suggests  that  the  armour  was 
proof  against  all  blows,  that  is  from  the  sword,  the  axe — the  "estra- 
ma^on  "  above  alluded  to — and  also  against  the  bow  and  the  crossbow. 
In  161 2  Sturtevant  in  his  Metallica  writes  on  page  62  that  the  iron- 
worker should  "make  things  stronger  than  the  Exact  strength  which 
the  thing  is  to  have,"  and  we  find  this  borne  out  in  an  extract  from  the 
Armerie  di  Roma,  Arch.  Stat.  c.  150,  of  the  date  1627,  which  mentions 
old  armour  "a  botta"  which  had  been  proved  with  "due  e  tre  colpi  dell' 
arma  alia  quale  dovevano  resistere."^ 

The  proof  by  the  crossbow  is  mentioned  by  Angellucci  in  a  note, 
quoting  from  the  tArch.  Gonz,  Copialett.^  T.  II,  c.  65:  "et  si  te  mande- 
remo  doi  veretoni  di  nostri  saldi,  como  i  quali  tu  farai  aprovare  la  ditta 
coraza  como  uno  bono  balestro  di  cidello."^  The  last-mentioned  weapon 
is  the  "  arbalest  a  tour  "  or  windlass  crossbow.  It  would  seem  from 
M.  Buttin's  researches  that  the  armour  "  a  toute  epreuve"  was  proved  by 

^  Panzer,  body-armour.  ^  Cat.  Armeria  Reale  Turiti,  1 29. 


64         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


crossbow  and  sword,  and  that  "a  demi  epreuve"  by  the  smaller  lever 
crossbow  or  by  the  javelin  thrown  by  hand.  These  varieties  of  proof 
were  indicated  by  the  marks  stamped  upon  them,  one  mark  for  the  single 
and  two  for  the  double  (see  page  65).  In  some  documents  we  have 
definite  entries  of  arrows  used  for  proof,  which  would  naturally  have 
exceptionally  well-tempered  points  : — 

1378.  Reg.  de  la  Cloison  d' Angers.,  No.  6. 

Pour  deux  milliers  de  fer  pour  viretons  partie  d'espreuve  et  autre 
partie  de  fer  commun. 

The  "  vireton "  was  a  crossbow-bolt  which  had  spiral  wings  of 
metal  or  wood  so  fitted  that  it  revolved  in  its  course. 

141 6,  Compt  de  Gilet  Baudry,  Arch.  Mun.  Orleans. 

Fleches  a  arc  empannees  a  cire  et  ferres  de  fers  d'espreuve. 

Here  the  "feathering"  of  the  arrow  with  copper  is  specified,  for 
it  was  this  metal  wing  which,  acting  like  the  propeller  of  a  boat,  caused 
the  arrow  to  revolve  with  increased  velocity. 

These  arrows  of  proof  cost  double  the  price  of  ordinary  arrows, 
for  we  have  entries  of  such  projectiles  in  the  year  141 9  costing  8s.  the 
dozen,  while  the  ordinary  quality  cost  but  4s.  the  dozen. ^ 

Details  of  the  regulations  of  setting  proof  marks  upon  armour  will 
be  found  in  Appendices  B,  E,  K. 

The  proving  of  brigandines  was  most  carefully  carried  out,  for  in 
some  instances  every  separate  plate  was  stamped  with  the  proof  mark. 
In  the  Paris  Collection  double  proof  marks  are  found  on  the  brigandine 
G,  206,  and  a  similar  double  mark  appears  stamped  on  the  Missaglia 
suit  G,  3,  but  of  a  different  design.  The  helmet  of  Henry  VIII  on 
II,  29  (Tower)  also  bears  the  double  proof  mark  of  one  of  the  Missaglia 
family  (Plate  X).  It  would  be  tedious  and  unnecessary  to  give  a  list  of 
those  armours  which  bear  these  proof  marks,  for  they  are  to  be  found 
in  every  armoury  of  note  in  Europe ;  but  it  will  be  of  some  profit  to  quote 
various  extracts  showing  the  reason  and  the  effects  of  proofs  or  trials  of 
armour. 

In  the  sixteenth  century  the  firearm  had  become  a  serious  factor  in 
warfare,  therefore  the  proof  was  decided  by  submitting  the  armour  to 
pistol  or  musket  shot. 

^  Rev.  Savoisienne,  1 906,  fasc.  4,  p.  3. 


1.  VENETIAN  SAI.LAl)  COVERED  WITH  VELVET,  XVI  CENT. 

2.  BACK  PLATE  OF  HRKJANDINE  COVERED  WITH   I-AliRIC.  HTd 

3.  MORION  WITH  COVER,  XVI— XVII  CENT. 

4.  SURCOAT  OF  THE  DLACK  PRINCE 


THE  PROOF  OF  ARMOUR 


65 


1347.  Regulations  of  the  Heaumers  of  London  (original  in  Norman-French), 
City  of  London  Letter  Book,  F^fol.  cxlii. 

Also  that  helmetry  and  other  arms  forged  by  the  hammer  .  .  .  shall 
not  from  henceforth  in  any  way  be  offered  for  sale  privily  or  openly 
until  they  have  been  properly  assayed  by  the  aforesaid  Wardens  and 
marked  with  their  marks  (see  Appendix  B). 

1448.  Statutes  des  Armuriers  Fourbisseurs  d' Angers. 

It.  les  quels  maisters  desd.  mestiers  seront  tenus  besoigner  et  faire 
ouvrage  et  bonnes  etoffes,  c'est  assavoir  pour  tant  que  touche  les 
armuriers,  ils  feront  harnois  blancs  pour  hommes  d'armes,  de  toute 
epreuve  qui  est  a  dire  d'arbalestes  a  tilloles  et  a  coursel  a  tout  le  moins 
demie  espreuve  .  .  .  marquees  de  2  marques  .  .  .  et  d'espreuve 
d'arbaleste  a  crocq  et  traict  d'archier,  marquees  d'une  marque  (see 
Appendix  E). 

The  "arbaleste  a  tilloles"  was  the  large  bow  bent  with  a  windlass, 
the  ^^arbaleste  k  crocq"  was  smaller  and  was  bent  with  a  hook  fastened 
to  the  waist  of  the  archer  (see  Payne  Gallwey,  The  Crossbow). 

1537.  Discipline  Militaire,  Langey,  I,  chap,  xxii,  pp.  79,  80. 

...  les  Harnois  soient  trop  foibles  pour  resister  a  I'Artillerie  ou  a 
I'Escopeterie,  neantmoins  ils  defendent  la  personne  des  coups  de 
Pique  de  Hallebarde,  d'Epee,  du  Trait,  des  Pierres,  des  Arbalestes, 
et  des  Arcs.  .  .  .  Et  par  fois  une  Harquebuze  sera  si  mal  chargee 
ou  si  fort  eschauffee  ou  pourra  tirer  de  si  loin,  que  le  Harnois  pour 
peu  qu'il  soit  bon  sauvera  la  vie  d'un  homme. 

The  above  writer  considers,  and  with  reason,  that  when  the  un- 
certainty of  firearms  was  taken  into  consideration  defensive  armour  was 
of  much  practical  use  ;  and  this  theory  was  held  as  late  as  the  eighteenth 
century,  for  Marshal  Saxe  in  his  Les  Reveries^  warmly  recommends 
the  use  of  defensive  armour,  especially  for  cavalry,  as  he  considers  that 
a  large  proportion  of  wounds  were  caused  by  sword,  lance,  or  spent 
bullets.  It  was  evidently  from  reasons  such  as  the  above  that  a  reliable 
proof  by  pistol  or  musket  shot  was  insisted  upon,  for  the  armour  of  the 
Due  de  Guise  in  the  Musee  d'Artillerie  (G,  80)  is  of  great  thickness 
and  weighs  42  kilos.  It  has  either  been  tested  by  the  maker  or  has 
seen  service,  for  there  are  three  bullet  marks  on  the  breastplate,  neither 
of  which  has  penetrated.^ 

1  Edit.  1756,  p.  58. 

^  A  half-suit  in  the  possession  of  H.  MofFat,  Esq.,  Goodrich  Court,  formerly  the  property  of  New 
College,  Oxford,  has  a  heavy  "  plastron  "  or  reinforcing  piece.  The  bullet  has  dented  this  and  also  the 
cuirass  underneath.    The  head-piece  and  back-plate  are  pierced  by  bullets. 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


1569.  Arch.  cur.  de  Nantes^  I,  col.  305. 

612  corps  de  cuyrace  .  .  .  garnis  de  haulzecou  .  .  .  desquelz  le 
devant  sera  a  I'espreuve  d'arquebuse  et  le  derriere  de  pistol. 

The  terms  "high  proof,"  "caliver  proof,"  and  "musket  proof"  often 
occur  in  writings  of  this  period  and  onwards  up  to  the  time  when  armour 
was  discarded ;  but  it  is  difficult  to  get  any  definite  information  as  to 
how  the  proof  was  made.  In  the  above  entry  there  are  two  kinds  of 
proof,  which  show  that  the  back-plate  was  thinner  than  the  breastplate, 
the  resisting  power  being  obtained  not  only  by  temper  of  metal,  but  also 
by  its  thickness. 

1568.  Les  Armuriers  frangais  et  etrangers,  Giraud,  pp.  191,  192. 

Ung  corps  de  cuirasse  lequel  sera  a  I'espreuve  de  la  pistolle,  ung 
habillement  de  teste  a  I'esprouve  de  la  pistolle,  brassartz  .  .  . 
a  I'esprove  de  la  pistolle,  tassettes  courtes  a  I'esprouve  de  la  pistolle. 

Here  is  evidently  a  necessary  definition  of  each  piece.  Probably  on 
some  former  occasion  the  armourer  had  classed  the  whole  suit  as  of  proof 
when  such  a  description  might  only  be  honestly  given  to  the  cuirass. 
Accounts  of  actual  trials  are  rare,  but  the  following  extract  is  of  interest 
as  showing  the  methods  employed  in  England.  It  is  given  in  full,  with 
many  valuable  extracts  bearing  on  the  craft  of  the  armourer,  by  Viscount 
Dillon,  in  Arcbceologia^  Vol.  LI.  The  extract  is  taken  from  a  letter  from 
Sir  Henry  Lee,  Master  of  the  Armoury  in  1580,  to  Lord  Burghley,  and 
bears  the  date  Oct.  12,  1590. 

The  first  part  of  the  letter  states  that  a  gentleman  of  Shropshire  was 
anxious  that  the  metal  mined  in  his  county  should  be  used  for  armour 
instead  of  the  German  iron  which  at  this  time  was  considered  to  be  the 
best  in  the  market.  Sir  Henry  writes  :  "To  give  the  more  credyte  to 
that  stuffe  to  the  armourers  of  London  and  to  Jacobi  the  Mr.  workman 
of  Grenewhyche,  the  Counsell  apoynt  in  there  presence  that  Sr.  Robarte 
Constable  and  my  cossyn  John  Lee  shoulde  see  a  proofe  made  wh.  by 
tryall  proved  most  usefull."  The  "Shropshire  gentleman"  sent  Sir 
Henry  "a  new  brest  beyng  sent  owt  of  the  country  of  gret  litenes  and 
strengthe  as  he  was  made  beleve,"  and  entrusted  him  to  "cause  another 
of  the  very  same  wayght  to  be  made  in  her  Matys  office  of  Greenwhyche, 
wh.  I  presently  performed."  Pistols  were  then  loaded  with  equal  charges 
and  fired  at  the  two  breastplates,  with  the  result  that  "that  made  in  the 


THE  PROOF  OF  ARMOUR 


67 


Offyce  and  of  the  metall  of  Houngere^  helde  out  and  more  than  a  littel 
dent  of  the  pellet  nothinge  perced,  the  other  clene  shotte  thereowe  and 
much  tare  the  overpart  of  a  heme  the  Brest  studde  upon  as  longe  as  my 
fyngeers.    Thus  muche  for  the  Ynglyshe  metall." 

From  time  to  time,  as  has  been  noticed  before,  there  had  been 
efforts  to  wrest  the  monopoly  of  the  supply  of  metal  for  armour  from  the 
foreigner,  but  here  was  a  very  tangible  proof  of  the  superiority  of  the 
alien  material.  It  is  true  that  the  Shropshire  breastplate  appears  to  have 
been  sent  from  that  county  for  the  test,  while  the  foreign  metal  was 
made  up  by  the  highly  skilled  workmen  in  the  Royal  Armoury  at 
Greenwich  under  the  eye  of  Jacobi  (Topf),  a  master-craftsman  who  can 
have  had  but  few  rivals  at  that  time.  Possibly  he  may  have  possessed 
some  secrets  of  tempering  and  hardening  his  metal  which  were  unknown 
to  less  experienced  smiths,  and  so  have  obtained  the  award  of  superiority 
for  the  metal  of  his  own  country.  Topf  had  migrated  to  England  from 
Innsbruck  and  must  certainly  have  had  friends  among  the  iron-merchants 
of  that  locality.  So  his  interests  were  obviously  on  the  side  of  the  foreign 
metal. 

It  may  be  only  romance  or  it  may  be  fact,  but  certainly  Oliver  de 
la  Marche,^  writing  about  the  year  1450,  describes  some  such  process 
of  tempering  armour  after  it  was  made.  "  Boniface  avoit  trempe  son 
harnois  d'une  eau  qui  le  tenoit  si  bon  que  fer  ne  povoit  prendre  sus." 
It  is  not  to  be  suggested  that  it  was  a  special  kind  of  water  that  was 
used  for  this,  but  rather  that  it  was  some  method  of  heating  and  cooling 
the  metal  which  was  employed.  Angellucci,  in  the  Catalogue  of  the 
Armeria  Reale^  Turin  (p.  129),  quotes,  from  documents  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  the  account  of  a  breastplate  made  by  Colombo,  an  armourer 
of  Brescia,  being  spoiled  because  he  had  used  excessive  charges  for  his 
pistol  or  musket. 

1602.  MUice frangais,  Montgomery,  Pt.  II,  p.  187. 

Les  chevau-legers  estoient  armez  d'armes  completes  d'une  cuirasse 
a  I'epreuve.    Le  reste  estoit  a  la  legere. 

The  last  detail  shows  that  the  back-pieces  were  much  lighter  than  the 
proof  breastplates,  and  this  is  borne  out  by  other  similar  entries  during  the 
century.    Evidently  the  efficacy  of  the  musket  had  increased  in  the  first 

1  Hungarian  or  Innsbruck  iron.  ^  Memories,  I,  xxi  (edit.  1884). 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


years  of  the  seventeenth  century  and  with  it  the  weight  of  the  proved 
armour.  In  later  entries  we  find  that  pistol  proof  is  of  more  frequent 
occurrence,  and  from  this  we  may  gather  that  the  weight  of  metal  was 
a  serious  hindrance  to  the  soldier  and  that  he  preferred  the  risk  of  a 
bullet. 

Still  there  are  cases  to  be  found  of  complete  proof,  for  in  1605  ^^^^ 
the  brayette  was  of  proof  {Arch.  Gov.  Brescia  Privil.^  R.  7,  V,  p.  10),^ 
and  if  this  small,  in  fact  the  smallest,  portion  of  the  armour  was  proved, 
we  may  be  sure  that  the  whole  suit  was  tested  equally. 

In  1628-9  we  learn  from  the  State  Papers  Domestic,  Ixxxix,  23,  that 
one  Whetstone  had  a  project  for  making  Hght  armour  as  good  as  proof, 
but  there  are  no  details  of  his  methods.  It  is  quite  probable,  in  most 
cases,  that  when  one  piece  of  the  armour  was  proved  the  rest  were  made 
of  similar  material  and  tempered  in  the  same  way,  and  that  actual  proof 
was  not  expected  or  given.  An  interesting  extract  from  the  Memorials 
of  the  Verney  Family.^  IV,  30,  gives  us  some  information  as  regards  the 
proof  of  armour  : — 

1 667,  Feb.  Richard  Hals  is  choosing  some  armour  for  his  cousin  in  London : 
he  has  tested  it  with  as  much  powder  as  will  cover  the  bullet  in  the 
palme  of  his  hand. 

This  rough-and-ready  method  of  estimating  the  charge  is  borne  out 
in  Gaya's  Traite  des  ^Armes^  P*  3°  (Reprint  191 1,  Clarendon  Press). 

The  Verney  extract  goes  on  to  say  that  Verney  wished  to  have  the 
armour  tested  again,  but  the  armourer  refused,  for  by  this  time  it  was 
finished,  and  he  said  that  "it  is  not  the  custom  of  workmen  to  try  their 
armour  after  it  is  faced  and  filed." 

This  suit  cost  £\\  2s.  8d.,  and  when  it  was  delivered  Verney  was 
by  no  means  pleased,  as  it  did  not  fit.^  A  clear  proof  that  armour 
was  tested  before  it  was  finished  is  to  be  found  on  the  suit  made  by 
Garbagnus  of  Brescia  for  Louis  XIV  of  France,  now  in  the  Musee 
d'Artillerie  (G,  125).  M.  Buttin^  in  noticing  this  suit  describes  it  as 
"  La  magnifique  armure  offerte  aLouisXIVpar  la  Republique  de  Venise," 
but  in  this  we  must  certainly  hold  a  different  opinion,  for  the  production, 
although  elaborately  engraved,  is  perhaps  the  best  example  of  the  deca- 
dence of  the  craft  of  the  armourer,  so  graceless  and  clumsy  are  its  lines 

'  Cat.  Arineria  Renle  Turin^  p.  73  note.         See  page  I05.      ^  Rev.  Savoisie/we,  I901,  fasc.  2  and  3. 


PLA'IE  XVI I 


CAST  OF  IVORY  CHESSMAN,  XIV  CENT. 


IVORY  MIRROR  CASK,  XIV  CKNT. 


THE  PROOF  OF  ARMOUR 


69 


and  proportions.  The  proof  mark  is  upon  the  left  of  the  breastplate, 
at  the  point  where  the  lower  edge  of  the  pauldron  ends.  It  has  been 
made  the  centre  of  a  double-petalled  rose,  showing  plainly  that  the  bullet 
mark  was  there  before  the  engraver  began  his  work.  A  similar  mark  at 
the  back  is  made  the  centre  of  a  flower  (Fig.  35).     The  document 


F"iG.  35.    Detail  showing  proof  mark  on  breast  of  suit  of 
Louis  XIV,  Mus.  d'Art,  Paris,  G,  125. 


relating  to  the  "proof  mark"  of  the  Armourers'  Company  of  London 
will  be  found  in  Appendix  K. 

Gay  a  in  his  Traite  des  ^rmes^  1678,  referred  to  above,  states  on 
page  53  that  the  casque  and  front  of  the  cuirass  should  be  of  musket 
proof,  but  the  other  parts  need  only  be  of  pistol  or  carbine  proof.  In 
speaking  of  head-pieces  he  states,  on  the  same  page,  that  the  heavier 
kinds  were  proved  with  musket-shot,  but  the  light  varieties  were  only 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


tested  with  "estrama^on"  or  sword-cut ;  and  he  adds  that  for  armour 
to  be  good  it  must  be  beaten  and  worked  cold  and  not  hot. 

We  have  seen  how  armour  was  proved  and  how  the  proof  mark  of 
crossbow-bolt  or  bullet  is  often  found  as  a  witness  to  the  fact.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  we  frequently  find  the  mark  or  poin^on  of  the  armourer, 
which  invariably  means  that  the  piece  is  of  good  workmanship  and 
worthy  of  notice. 

Like  all  the  other  craft  gilds,  that  of  the  armourer  was  very  jealous 
of  the  reputation  of  its  members.  The  tapestry  weavers  of  Flanders 
were  obliged  to  mark,  in  some  cases,  every  yard  of  their  production  ; 
and  so  in  fine  suits  of  armour  we  find  many  of  the  individual  pieces  that 
go  to  make  up  the  suit  stamped  with  the  maker's  mark  and  also  with  the 
stamp  of  the  town.  These  town  stamps  are  mostly  found  in  German 
work  from  Nuremberg,  Augsburg,  etc.  We  find  the  name  Arbois  used 
on  some  Burgundian  armour,  but  never  are  the  names  of  Italian  or  French 
towns  stamped.  With  the  sword  this  rule  does  not  hold  good,  for  the 
Spanish,  Italian,  and  German  makers  frequently  used  the  town  of  origin 
as  a  mark  in  addition  to  their  own.  Toledo,  Passau,  Ferara,  Solingen 
are  all  found  upon  swords,  and  are  very  often  stamped  upon  blades  of 
an  entirely  different  nationality.  This  forgery  of  the  stamp  may  have 
been  perpetrated  with  the  intent  to  defraud,  or  it  may  simply  have  been 
used  as  a  mark  of  excellence,  like  "  Paris  fashions  "  or  "  Sheffield  steel  " 
at  the  present  day.  The  forgery  of  marks  on  suits  of  armour  is  very 
seldom  met  with  and  where  it  exists  it  is  obviously  done  for  ulterior 
reasons. 

The  stamps  take  the  form  of  signs  such  as  the  trefoil  of  Treytz,  the 
monogram  such  as  the  "MY"  of  the  Missaglias,  and  the  crowned  "A" 
of  the  Armourers'  Company  of  London ;  the  rebus,  as  for  example  the 
helm  used  by  the  Colman  (Helmschmied)  family,  or  a  combination  of 
two  or  more  of  the  above  variety. 

About  the  year  1390  we  have  the  following  entry  ; — 

Achettez  de  Symond  Brufaler  armeur  ...  1  auberion  d'acier  de  botte 
casse  duquel  toutes  les  mailes  sunt  seignier  du  seignet  du  maistre,^ 

This  shows  that  in  some  cases  every  link  of  mail  was  stamped  with 
the  armourer's  mark.    In  Oriental  mail  letters  and  sometimes  words 

^  Arch.  Cam.  de  Turin,  Compte  des  Tres.  gen.  de  Savoie,  Vol.  XXXIX,  f.  163. 


THE  PROOF  OF  ARMOUR 


71 


from  the  Koran  are  stamped  on  each  link,  but  we  have  no  examples 
extant  of  European  mail  stamped  with  the  maker's  mark  on  each 
Hnk. 

On  May  ii,  15 13,  Richard  Thyrkyll  writes  to  Henry  VIII  from 
Antwerp  saying  that  he  can  find  no  "harness  of  the  fleur  de  lys"  in 
any  part  of  Brabant  (Brit.  Mus.  Galba,  B,  III,  85). 

This  probably  refers  to  a  trade-mark  or  poin^on  well  known  as 
denoting  metal  of  high  temper.  A  brigandine  in  the  Museum  at  Darm- 
stadt bears  this  mark  repeated  twice  on  each  plate,  showing  that  it  was 
proof  against  the  large  crossbow  (Fig.  36).  Demmin  (Guide  des 
Amateurs  d'Armes)  gives  a  mark  of  a  lion  rampant 
as  stamped  on  the  plates  of  a  brigandine  in  his  collec- 
tion, and  an  example  in  the  Musee  d'Artillerie  has  the 
Nuremberg  mark  on  each  of  the  plates. 

In  the  case  of  mail  a  small  label  is  sometimes  found,  fig.  36.  Proof  marks 

1  iri*  15  on  a  Brigandine  plate, 

riveted  on  to  the  rabric,  on  which  is  the  maker  s  stamp  ;     Darmstadt  Museum 
an  example  of  this  is  the  eagle  which  is  stamped  on  a 
label  attached  to  the  mail  skirt  G,  86,  in  the  Armeria  Reale,  Turin  (see 
Table  of  Marks,  59).    In  brigandines  we  sometimes  find  each  of  the 
small  plates  stamped  with  the  maker's  mark,  which  is  held  to  be  evidence 
of  "proof." 

As  we  have  seen  from  the  entry  under  the  date  1448,  on  page  65, 
the  single  stamp  signified  proof  against  the  small  crossbow  and  the  double 
stamp  proof  against  the  heavy  windlass-bow. 

As  has  been  noticed  above,  the  forgery  or  imitation  of  marks  is  more 
common  on  sword-blades  than  on  defensive  armour,  and  of  these  the 
wolf,  dog,  or  fox  of  Passau  is  most  frequently  imitated.  In  some  in- 
stances the  representation  is  more  or  less  life-like,  but  in  others  there  is 
simply  a  crude  arrangement  of  straight  lines  that  suggest  the  head,  legs, 
body,  and  tail  of  the  animal. 

Stamping  of  armour  was  practised  early  in  the  middle  of  the  four- 
teenth century,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  Regulations  of  the  Company  of 
Heaumers  transcribed  in  Appendix  B. 

In  Rymer's  Foedera  (XIX,  p.  312)  we  find  accounts  for  repairing 
and  remodelling  armour  in  the  year  1631,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
list  comes  the  entry  "  For  stamping  every  harness  fit  to  be  allowed 


72  THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


£o  o  o  ",  which  shows  that  even  armour  that  was  remade  from  old 
material  was  subjected  to  tests,  and  also  that  these  tests  were  recorded 
by  a  gratuitous  stamp  of  the  craftsman  or  of  the  company  to  which 
he  belonged. 

The  only  entry  extant  which  actually  refers  to  the  making  of  these 
stamps  for  armourers  is  given  in  the  Mem.  de  la  Soc.  ^rch,  de  Tou- 
raine^  T.  XX ^  pp.  268—9  {ylrch.  de  Tours ^  Grandmaison). 

1470.  A  Pierre  Lambert  orfevre,  la  somme  de  55  s.  t.  .  .  .  pour  avoir  fait  et 
grave  6  poinsons  de  fer  acerez  pour  marquer  les  harnois  blancs  et 
brigandines  qui  seroient  faiz  et  delivrez  en  lad.  ville,  de  la  fa9on  que 
le  roy  I'avait  ordonne,  et  pour  avoir  retaille  et  ressue  2  desd.  poin- 
sons qui  estoient  fenduz  en  marquant  les  harnois. 
A  Jehan  Harane  orfevre,  pour  avoir  grave  les  armes  de  la  ville  en 
2  poinsons  de  fer  pour  marquer  les  harnois  et  brigandines  vendues 
en  lad.  ville  30  s. 

The  number  of  armourers'  marks  known  at  present  amounts  to 
several  hundred,  but  of  the  majority  nothing  is  known  as  to  ownership 
and  history.  A  few  of  the  principal  marks  in  English  and  Continental 
collections  are  given  on  page  148. 


PLATE  XVI II 


THE  DECORATION  OF  ARMOUR 


FROM  the  earliest  times  defensive  armour  has  been  more  or  less 
decorated  and  ornamented  with  more  or  less  elaborate  detail  as 
the  armourer  became  skilled  in  his  craft  and  as  the  patron  indulged 
in  vanity  or  caprice.  Perhaps  the  most  astonishing  work  in  this  direction 
is  the  shoulder-piece  of  a  cuirass  known  as  the  Siris  bronze  in  the 
British  Museum,  which  is  of  such  elaborate  repousse  work  that  it  is 
difficult  to  see  how  the  tool  can  have  been  used  from  the  back.  It 
is  not,  however,  the  intention  of  this  work  to  deal  with  Greek  or  Roman 
armour,  or  indeed  with  armour  previous  to  the  eleventh  century ;  other- 
wise its  limits  would  have  to  be  considerably  enlarged.  The  ornamenta- 
tion of  early  armour,  the  employment  of  brass  or  latten  rings,  which 
formed  patterns  on  the  hauberk,  called  for  no  special  skill  on  the  part 
of  the  craftsman,  and  it  is  only  when  we  come  to  the  thirteenth  century 
that  we  find  traces  of  actual  decoration  on  the  pieces  of  plate  which 
composed  the  suit. 

And  here  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  axiom  of  suitability  was, 
in  later  years,  forgotten,  and  the  ever-important  "glancing  surface" 
was  destroyed  by  designs  in  high  relief,  which  not  only  retained  the 
full  shock  of  the  opposing  weapon,  but  also  hindered  the  free  movement 
of  the  several  plates  one  over  the  other.  The  word  "decoration"  in 
itself  suggests  a  "decorous"  or  suitable  adornment,  and  this  suitability 
was  not  always  considered  by  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  century 
armourers. 

The  use  of  jewels  was  always  favoured  among  the  nobility,  and  we 
find  in  the  inventory  of  the  effects  of  Piers  Gaveston  ^  plates  ornamented 
with  gold  and  silver  and  ailettes  "  frettez  de  perles."  In  1352  King  John 
of  France  and  the  Dauphin  had  elaborate  head-pieces  ornamented  with 
jewels,  and  in  1385  the  King  of  Castile  wore  a  helmet  at  the  battle  of 
Aljubertota  which  was  enriched  with  gold  and  valued  at  20,000  francs.^ 

^  New  Fcedera,  II,  203.  ^  Froissart  (Johnes'  trans.),  II,  1 24. 

10  73 


74         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Fig.  37.  Poleynes  on  the 
brass  of  Sir  Robert  de 
Bures,  Acton,  Suffolk, 
1302. 


The  well-known  brass  of  Sir  John  d'Aubernon,  1277,  shows  the 
first  traces  of  the  actual  ornamentation  of  armour,  which  culminated  in 
the  work  of  Piccinino  and  PefFenhauser  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Similar 

ornamentation  is  found  on  the  brass  of  Sir  Robert 
de  Bures,  1302  (Fig.  37).  It  is  possible  that  the 
poleynes  shown  on  this  brass  and  also  the  beinbergs 
on  the  figure  of  Guigliemo  Berardi  in  the  Cloisters  of 
the  Annunziata  at  Florence  (Fig.  38)  were  made 
of  cuir-bouilli  and  not  metal,  for  there  is  not  much 
incised  or  engraved  iron  found  in  domestic  objects  of 
this  period  (Fig.  37).  But  when  we  reach  the  end 
of  the  century  we  find  a  richly  decorated  suit  of  com- 
plete plate  shown  on  the  brass  of  an  unknown  knight 
of  about  the  year  1400  which  in  no  way  suggests  any 
material  but  iron  or  steel  (Fig.  39). 

This  engraving  of  armour,  either  by  the  burin 
or  by  etching  with  acid,  was  employed  with  more  or  less  intricacy  of 
detail  from  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century  up  to  the  period  when 
armour  was  discarded;  for  the  suits  of  Charles  I  (Tower,  II,  19)  and 
of  Louis  XIV  of  France  (Musee  d'Artillerie,  G,  125) 
are  almost  entirely  covered  with  fine  engraving.  The 
tradition  is  well  known  that  the  art  of  engraving  and 
printing  the  results  on  paper  was  discovered  by  the 
Florentine  metal-workers  of  the  fifteenth  century,  who 
employed  this  expedient  for  proving  their  ornamental 
work  upon  various  metals.  In  some  cases  the  engraving 
of  armour  was  merely  the  first  process  of  the  niello-work, 
in  which  the  lines  and  spaces  cut  out  were  filled  in  with 
a  black  compound.  Neither  the  engraving  alone  nor  the 
niello- work  in  any  way  interfered  with  the  utility  of  the 
armour,  for  the  surface  was  still  capable  of  a  high  polish  fig 
and  would  still  deflect  the  weapon.  No  better  example 
of  this  could  be  found  than  the  "Engraved  Suit"  made 
for  Henry  VIII  by  Conrad  Seusenhofer  (Tower,  II,  5).  Here  the  entire 
surface  is  covered  with  fine  engraving  of  scenes  from  the  lives  of  SS. 
George  and  Barbara,  and  of  decorative  designs  of  the  royal  badges — the 


8.  Beinbergs 
on  the  statue  of 
Guigliemo  Berardi, 
Florence,  1289. 


THE  DECORATION  OF  ARMOUR  75 


Rose,  the  Portcullis,  and  the  Pomegranate.  Originally  the  whole  suit 
was  washed  with  silver,  of  which  traces  remain,  but  there  was  no  attempt 
to  destroy  the  utility  of  the  armour.  Indeed,  it  would  have  been  a  daring 
armourer  who  would  have  essayed  such  decoration 
when  making  a  suit  which  was  to  be  a  present  from 
Maximilian  to  Henry  VIII,  both  of  whom  were 
among  the  most  practised  jousters  in  Europe  (Plate 
XII).  It  was  only  when  work  in  high  relief  was 
produced  that  this  utility  was  destroyed.  While 
condemning  the  neglect  of  true  craft  principles  in 
this  respect,  we  cannot  but  give  our  unstinted 
admiration  for  the  skill  in  which  this  embossed 
armour  was  produced.  The  Negrolis,  the  Colmans, 
Campi,  Lucio  Piccinino,  Peffenhauser,  and  Knopf 
were  all  masters  of  this  form  of  applied  art ;  but 
the  admiration  which  their  work  compels  is  that 
which  we  have  for  the  work  of  a  gold  or  silver 
smith,  and  not  for  that  of  the  armourer.  In  some 
cases,  it  is  true,  there  is  some  definite  idea  in  the 
craftsman's  mind  of  a  subject,  as  for  example  the 
parade  suit  of  Christian  II  (Johanneum,  Dresden, 
E,  7),  in  which  the  artist,  who  is  generally  con- 
sidered to  have  been  Heinrich  Knopf,  embossed 
scenes  from  the  labours  of  Hercules  on  the  horse- 
As  a  rule,  however,  the  ornamentation  is 


armour. 


merely  fantastic  and  meaningless,  and  consists  for  fig.  39.  Brass  of  an  un- 

1  r         1  1  1  •    •      known  knight  at  Laughton, 

the  most  part  01  arabesques,  masks,  and  amormi    Lines,  1400. 
based  upon  classical  models  of  the  worst  period  and 
style.    For  sheer  incoherence  of  design,  and  at  the 
same  time  for  technique  which  could  hardly  be 
surpassed,  we  have  no  better  example  in  any  of  the 
applied  arts  than  the  parade  suit  made  for  King 
Sebastian  of  Portugal  by  Anton  Peffenhauser  of  Augsburg  in  the  second 
half  of  the  sixteenth  century  (Real  Armeria,  Madrid,  A,  290).  Here 
we  have  tritons,  nereids,  dolphins  and  sea-horses,  combats  of  classical 
warriors,  elephants,  allegorical  figures  of  Justice,  Strength,  and  Victory, 


1.  Vervelles. 

2.  Camail. 

3.  "  Vif  de  I'harnois,"  "defaut 

de  la  cuirasse." 

4.  Baldrick. 

5.  Jupon. 

6.  Gadlings  or  gauntlets. 

7.  Bascinet. 

8.  Edge  of  hauberk. 


76         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


gods,  goddesses,  heroes,  virtues,  and  symbolic  figures  spread  broadcast 
among  a  wealth  of  arabesques  and  foliation  which  leaves  the  beholder 
breathless  at  the  thought  that  this  was  simply  produced  for  parade  pur- 
poses, when  but  little  of  the  detail  could  be  seen  and  none  of  it  could 
be  adequately  studied  or  admired.  In  fact  the  whole  equipment  may 
be  described  in  a  sentence  originally  used  in  far  different  circumstances  : 
"C'est  magnifique,  mais  ce  n'est  pas  la  guerre"  (Plate  XIV). 

Much  of  this  embossed  work  was  blackened  or  oxidized  so  that  the 
full  value  of  the  relief-work  could  be  appreciated.  Gilding  and  gold 
inlay  were  also  in  high  favour,  but  the  latter  art  never  reached  the  high 
pitch  of  excellence  which  we  find  in  Oriental  weapons,  though  the 
arrogant  Cellini  asserted  that  he  could  damascene  swords  as  well  as  any 
Oriental  craftsman,  and  better.  That  the  art  was  not  seriously  attempted 
we  gather  from  Cellini's  own  words,  for  he  says  that  it  "  differed  from 
any  he  had  as  yet  practised."^ 

In  all  this  ostentatious  riot  of  ornament  we  in  England  preserved  a 
dignified  reticence.  It  is  true  that  the  City  of  London  commissioned 
Petit  of  Blois  to  make  the  cumbersome  gilded  and  engraved  suit 
for  Charles  I,  but  we  have  in  our  national  collections  no  specimens  of 
elaborately  embossed  parade  armour  which  were  made  for  kings,  princes, 
or  nobles  in  England. 

The  master-craftsman  Jacobi  Topf  and  his  pupil  William  Pickering 
both  produced  suits  of  great  richness  and  beauty,  but  they  were  always 
eminently  practical,  and  their  utility  and  convenience  were  never  ham- 
pered or  destroyed.  Where  there  is  embossing  it  is  shallow,  and  as  the 
relief  is  not  sharp  there  is  no  edge  which  might  catch  the  lance-point 
or  sword.  Much  of  the  work  of  Topf  was  russeted  and  gilt,  a  method 
which  produced  a  highly  ornate  and  yet  never  a  trivial  or  confused  effect. 

The  parade  suit  by  Bartolomeo  Campi,  made  for  Charles  V  (Real 
Armeria,  Madrid,  A,  125),  is  so  obviously  a  fantastic  costume  for 
masque  or  pageant  that  it  can  hardly  be  criticized  as  armour.  It  is 
based  upon  a  classical  model,  for  the  cuirass  is  moulded  to  the  torse 
after  the  manner  of  the  armour  of  the  late  Roman  Empire.  As  metal- 
work  it  will  rank  with  the  finest  specimens  extant,  but  as  armour  it 
completely  fails  to  satisfy  (see  page  132  and  Plate  XIV). 

^  Life  of  Benvenuto  Cellini,  1910  edition,  I,  112. 


AR.MlNt;  FOR  COMliAT  IN  THK  LISTS 

KKII.M   THE   HASTINCis  MS..   XV  CENT. 


THE  DECORATION  OF  ARMOUR  77 


Although  not  in  any  way  decorative,  the  "  puffed  and  slashed " 
armour  copied  from  the  civilian  dress  of  the  sixteenth  century  is  an 
example  of  the  armourer  making  use  of  embossing  apart  from  the  actual 
requirements  of  the  constructive  side  of  his  craft.  Radiating  lines  of 
repousse  work,  simple,  fine,  and  delicate,  had  been  introduced  into  the 
later  forms  of  Gothic  armour,  the  pauldrons  had  been  fluted  like  the 
cockle-shell,  and  these  flutings  had  been  made  of  practical  use  in 
Maximilian  armour,  giving  increased  rigidity  without  weight,  a  factor 
which  is  found  in  modern  corrugated  iron. 

The  imitation  of  fabrics  in  steel  is,  however,  unpardonable,  and  has 
not  even  the  richness  or  minute  technique  of  the  parade  suits  mentioned 
above.  It  is  true  that  the  embossing  gives  greater  rigidity  to  the  metal, 
but  we  can  have  none  of  the  admiration  for  these  unnatural  forms  of 
armour  that  we  have  for  those  in  which  the  goldsmith  and  armourer 
worked  together.  The  style  of  dress  which  was  imitated  was  in  itself 
designed  to  create  a  false  impression,  for  the  slashings  were  intended  to 
convey  the  idea  that  the  wearer  was  a  swashbuckler,  fresh  from  the 
wars.  We  can  only,  therefore,  regard  it  as  an  absurdity  to  represent 
fabrics,  which  were  supposed  to  have  been  frayed  and  cut  by  weapons, 
in  weapon-proof  steel.  That  the  fashion  was  popular  we  know  from 
the  number  of  suits  extant,  and  even  Conrad  Seusenhofer  himself  did  not 
disdain  to  produce  them.  The  vogue  did  not  endure  for  more  than 
about  twenty  years,  for  as  soon  as  the  fashion  in  civilian  dress  changed 
the  armour  became  simpler  and  the  imitation  ceased  (Plate  XXI). 


THE  GLEANING  OF  ARMOUR 


i4  N  important  part  of  the  work  of  the  armourer  was  the  cleaning 
/—\  and  keeping  in  repair  his  master's  effects.  This  was  especially 
^  ^  the  case  with  mail,  which  from  its  nature  is  peculiarly  susceptible 
to  the  action  of  rust.  It  is  to  this  cause  and  to  the  incessant  remaking  of 
armour  that  we  owe  the  loss  of  all  authentic  mail  armour  of  the  twelfth 
and  thirteenth  centuries.  A  good  example  of  this  may  be  cited  in  the 
hoard  of  plate  armour  and  helmets,  of  which  last  nearly  a  hundred 
were  collected,  found  in  a  cistern  in  the  castle  of  Chalcis,  in  Euboea,  in 
the  year  1840.^  They  had  lain  there  since  the  year  1470,  when  the 
castle  was  taken  by  the  Turks,  and  are  in  many  instances  in  excellent 
preservation  considering  the  condition  in  which  they  were  found.  The 
collection  was  brought  to  light  and  catalogued  in  a  very  unscientific 
manner  by  the  historian  Buchon,  but  there  is  no  trace  of  mail  of  any 
kind  except  one  link  attached  to  a  helmet. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  fifteenth  century  mail  was  used  extensively 
both  for  complete  defence  and  for  protecting  vital  parts  not  covered  by 
plate,  of  which  details  will  be  found  on  page  109  ;  therefore  it  is  most 
improbable  that  a  large  collection  such  as  this  should  have  been  left 
with  no  vestiges  of  mail.  It  is  obvious,  therefore,  that  the  delicate 
fabric  was  attacked  and  destroyed  by  rust  long  before  the  same  agent 
could  make  any  effect  on  the  solid  plate.  The  following  extracts  will 
give  in  chronological  order  the  various  entries  which  concern  the 
cleaning  and  repairing  of  armour  : — 

1250  (?).  T6e  Avowynge  of  King  Arthur,  stanza  39. 

Gay  gownus  of  grene 

To  hold  thayre  armur  clene 

And  were'^  hitte  fro  the  wette. 

Here  we  find  the  reason,  or  at  any  rate  one  of  the  reasons,  for  wear- 
ing the  surcoat.    Some  writers  have  suggested  that  it  was  worn  to  protect 

1  Charles  ffoulkes,  "  Italian  Armour  at  Chalcis,"  Archaologia,  LXII.  ^  Protect. 

78 


THE  CLEANING  OF  ARMOUR 


79 


the  Crusader  from  the  sun  in  his  Oriental  campaigns,  but  the  quotation 
given  definitely  asserts  that  it  was  to  keep  ofF the  rain.  This  is  certainly 
a  practical  reason,  for,  as  has  been  stated  before  in  this  chapter,  the 
intricate  fabric  of  mail  was  peculiarly  susceptible  to  damp. 

1296.  23-24  Edw.  I  [Duchy  of  Lancaster  Accounts). 

Itm.  XX  s.  xj  d.  in  duobus  saccis  de  coreo  pro  armatura  comitis. 

This  refers  to  leather  sacks  used  either  for  keeping  the  armour  in 
or  for  cleaning  it  by  shaking  it  with  sand  and  vinegar. 

1344,  Inventory  of  Dover  Castle  (see  also  page  25). 

i  barrele  pro  armaturis  rollandis. 

The  barrel  was  here  used  in  the  same  way.  The  mail  was  placed 
inside  with  sand  and  vinegar  and  rolled  and  shaken.  The  same  method 
is  still  practised  in  some  districts  for  cleaning  barrels  for  cider  or  ale. 
Chains  are  placed  in  the  barrel  with  sand  to  obtain  the  same  result.  On 
Plate  XV  a  barrel  is  shown  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  picture  with  a 
mail  shirt  hanging  over  the  edge. 

1364.  Inventory  of  the  donjon  of  l^ostieza} 

i  barellum  ad  forbiendum  malliam. 

1369.  Prologue,  Canterbury  Tales,  Chaucer. 

Of  fustyan  he  wered  a  gipoun 

Alle  sysmoterud  with  his  haburgeoun. 

This  extract  shows  clearly  the  need  for  the  barrel  and  sand.  The 
mail  had  evidently  rusted  with  rain  and  perspiration,  and  left  stains 
and  marks  on  the  quilted  undergarment.  We  find  the  term  "  rokked  " 
used  in  the  poem  of  Syr  Gawayji^  which  means  cleaned  by  rolling. 

1372.  Froissart  uses  the  expression 

a  rouler  leurs  cottes  de  fer. 

1 41 7.  Inventory  of  Winchester  College. 

i  barelle  pro  loricis  purgandis. 

1423.  Koll  of  Executors  of  Henry  Bowet,  Archbishop  of  York,  Oct.  20. 

j  barrelle  cum  suis  pertinentiis  ad  purgandos  loricas  et  alia  arma 
de  mayle. 

1467.  Howard  Household  Boo\  [Dom.  Expenses  in  England,  416). 

9d.  to  an  armerer  at  Pawles  Cheyne  for  an  barneys  barelle. 

^  Arch.  Journ.,  LX,  I06, 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


151 3.  Karl  of  Northumberland' s  Equipage  (see  also  page  30). 
a  paommyshe. 

Eight  yards  of  white  blaunkett  for  trussing  of  my  Lord's  harnes  in. 

The  pumice  was  for  cleaning  off  the  rust,  and  the  blanket  was 
used  for  packing  the  armour  when  in  store  or  on  a  journey. 

151 5.  Kings  Book  of  'Payments ^  Record  Office^  under  various  payments  to 
armourers. 

Oct.  1 1.  Payment  to  Adrian  Brand  for  hire  of  his  mill  house  for 
cleaning  the  king's  harness,  26s.  8d.  the  month. 

1 5 17.  April.  Wm.  Gurre,  armourer,  making  clean  of  certain  harness, 
bockeling  &  ledering  of  400  Almain  rivets  for  the  Armoury  at 
Eltham  ^24  7  8. 

The  "  bockeling  &  ledering  "  of  course  refers  to  the  fitting  of  new 
leather  straps  and  buckles.  The  Almain  rivet  was  the  half- suit  of  the 
foot-soldier  and  has  been  explained  on  page  52. 

1520.  April.  William  Gurre  for  scouring  1000  pr.  of  Almain  rivets  at 
1 2d.  a  pair. 

1530.  Hans  Clerc  armorer  for  furbishing  and  keeping  clean  the  king's 
armour  in  the  armoury  in  the  Tilt  yard  at  Greenwich  which  John 
Diconson  late  had  at  6d.  a  day. 
Thos.  Wollwarde  for  keeping  &  making  the  king's  harnes  att 
Windsor  &  York  Place  30s.  5d. 

1567.  S.P.D.  Eliz.,  Addenda  xiii.,  loi. 

Payments  are  made  in  this  entry  to  paint  black  various  corselets 
which  had  become  "  fowle  and  rustic  "  and  had  "  taken  salt 
water  in  the  sea"  at  a  charge  of  5d.  each. 

Froissart  describes  the  champion  Dimeth,  at  the  coronation  of 
Henry  IV,  as  being  "  tout  convert  de  mailles  de  vermeil,  chevalier  et 
cheval."^  This  painting  of  armour  was  frequently  indulged  in  both  for 
the  above  practical  reason  and  also  for  personal  adornment.  Tinning 
was  also  used  for  protecting  armour  from  wet  (vide  page  33  sul?  ann, 
1622).  Armour  in  the  Dresden  Armoury  and  elsewhere  is  painted  black. 
Hall  in  his  Chronicles  in  the  account  of  the  funeral  of  Henry  V  states 
that  men-at-arms  in  black  armour  rode  in  the  procession.  The  armour 
in  the  seventeenth  century  was  often  blacked  or  russeted.  Suits  of  this 
kind  are  to  be  seen  in  the  Gun  Wharf  Museum  at  Portsmouth  and  else- 


Vol.  IV,  c.  114.    This  detail  is  not  given  either  in  Johnes'  or  Lord  Berners'  translation. 


PL A TE  XX 


ARMOUR  OK  HKNRV,  PRINCE  OK  WAKES,   i;V  WllJJAM   I'lCKERINC;,  KV.n.l|-.3l) 


THE  CLEANING  OF  ARMOUR  si 


where.  Haselrigg's  "  lobsters"  were  so  called,  according  to  Clarendon/ 
because  of  their  "  bright  shells."  It  is  quite  possible  that  their  armour  was 
blacked.  In  the  Lansdowne  MS.  73,  William  Poore  suggested  a  remedy 
for  "  preserving  armour  from  pewtrifying,  kankering  or  rusting,"  but 
there  are  no  details  given  of  the  method  he  employed ;  it  was  prob- 
ably some  kind  of  lacquer  or  varnish.  Among  the  Archives  of  the 
Compte  du  tresor  de  Savoie  (63  f.  157)  is  mentioned  a  payment  to 
Jehan  de  Saisseau  "  por  vernicier  une  cotte  d'aciel,"  and  in  one  of  the 
Tower  inventories  (Harl.  MS.  1419)  of  the  year  1547  a  buckler  of 
steel  painted"  occurs.^ 

1567.  S.P.D.  E/iz.,  Add.  xiii.,  104. 

Sundry  payments  for  cleaning  and  repairing  armour  at  the  Tower, 
Hampton  Court,  and  Greenwich  at  lod.  the  day. 

1580,  S.P.D.  E/iz.,  cx/i,  42. 

A  document  written  on  the  death  of  Sir  George  Howard  ordering 
the  cleaning  and  putting  in  order  of  the  arms  and  armour  at 
the  Tower. 

1628.  S.P.D.  Car.  /,  xdii,  61. 

Capt.  John  Heydon  to  Wm.  Boswell,  Clerk  to  the  Council,  for  the 
new  russeting  of  a  corslet,  5sh. 

1603.  Inventory  of  the  Armoury  at  Hengrave. 

Item  one  barrel  to  make  clean  the  shirt  of  maile  &  gorgets. 

1 67 1.  Patent  applied  for  by  Wolfen  Miller  (John  Caspar  Wolfen,  and  John 
Miller),  for  twenty-one  years,  "  for  a  certain  oyle  to  keep  armour 
and  armes  from  rust  and  kanker  "  for  ^10  per  annum. 

1647  [circ).  Law?,  and  Ordinances  of  Warr,  Bod.  Lib.,  Goodwin  Pamphlets, 
cxvii,  14.^ 

Of  a  Souldiers  duty  touching  his  Arms. 

II.  Slovenly  Armour. — None  shall  presume  to  appeare  with  their 
Armes  unfixt  or  indecently  kept  upon  pain  of  Arbitrary 
correction. 

With  regard  to  the  keeping  of  armour  in  store  two  instances  have 
been  mentioned  above  under  the  dates  1296  and  15 13.  In  addition 
to  these  we  find  that  in  1470  in  the  Chronique  de  Troyes.^  the  French 
soldiers  were  forbidden  to  carry  their  arms  and  armour  in  "  paniers," 
which,  from  the  statement,  was  evidently  a  practice. 

^  Rebellion,  VII,  I04.  ^  Archaologia,  LI.  ^  CromiveWs  Army,  Firth,  413. 

I  I 


«2         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 

In  the  Wardrobe  Account  of  Edward  I,  128 1,  published  by  the 
Society  of  Antiquaries,  we  find  payments  to  Robinet,  the  King's  tailor, 
for  coffers,  sacks,  boxes,  and  cases  to  contain  the  different  parts  of  the 
armour. 

In  the  Wardrobe  Expenses  of  Bolingbroke,  Earl  of  Derby  (Camden 
Soc),  1393,  are  found  the  following  entries  : — 

fol.  32.    pro  j  cofre  ...  ad  imponendum  scuta  domini.    xvij  scot. 

fol.  33.    pro  j  house^  pro  scuto  domini    ix  scot,  xij  d. 

fol,  40.    pro  i  breastplate  domini  purgando  ibidem  iij  li,  vij  s. 

The  "  buckler  of  steel  painted  "  mentioned  above  is  scheduled  as 
being  in  "a  case  of  leather."  In  an  engraving  of  Charles  I  by  W.  Hole, 
in  the  British  Museum,  a  box  is  shown  for  holding  the  breast  and 
back  plates.^ 

^  Cover.  ^  Arch.  Journ.,  LX. 


THE  USE  OF  FABRICS  AND  LINEN 


important  variety  of  defensive  armour,  which  has  not  hitherto 
/  %     received  the  notice  which  it  deserves,  is  the  padded  and  quilted 
^  armour  of  Unen,  which  was  always  popular  with  the  foot-soldier 

on  account  of  its  cheapness,  and  was  in  the  thirteenth  century  held  in 
high  esteem  by  the  wealthier  knight.  In  the  case  of  crushing  blows  it 
would  of  course  protect  the  body  from  breaking  of  the  skin,  but  would 
not  be  of  such  use  as  the  more  rigid  defence  of  plate.  It  was,  however, 
very  effectual  against  cutting  blows,  and  had  the  advantage  of  being 
more  easily  put  on  and  off,  and,  although  hot,  was 
less  oppressive  than  metal  in  long  marches.  In 
miniatures  of  the  fourteenth  century  we  frequently 
find  parts  of  the  armour  coloured  in  such  a  way 
as  to  suggest  that  it  is  either  not  metal  or  else 
metal  covered  with  fabric.  Where  there  was  no 
metal  and  where  the  wearer  depended  entirely 
on  the  fabric  for  protection  it  was  heavily  quilted 
and  padded,  or  else  several  thicknesses  of  the 
material  were  used  (Fig.  40).  Where  metal  was 
used  the  defence  was  the  ordinary  plate  armour 
covered  with  fabric,  or  the  metal  was  inserted  in 
small  plates  as  is  the  case  in  the  brigandine. 

It  is  not  the  intention  of  the  present  section  to 
deal  with  the  various  details  of  defensive  armour 
except  only  as  far  as  those  details  bear  directly  on 
the  employment  of  fabrics,  therefore  the  construc- 
tion of  the  brigandine,  which  is  well  known  to  all 
students  of  the  subject  of  armour  and  weapons, 
will  be  found  under  the  heading  of  the  Craft  of  the  Armourer 
on  page  49.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  horn  and  metal  jacks 
which  were  a  humbler  form  of  the  brigandine.     The  most  concise 

83 


Fig,  40.  Pourpointed  cuisses 
from  the  brass  of  Sir  John 
de  Argentine,  Horseheath, 
Cambs,  1360. 


84         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


descriptions  of  such  armour  will  be  found  in  the  Catalogue  of  Helmets 
and  Mail  by  de  Cosson  and  Burgess  [Arch,  yourn.^  XXXVII).  Guiart  in 
his  Chronicles,  written  in  the  early  part  of  the  fourteenth  century,  speaks 
of  "cotes  faitices  de  coton  a  pointz  entailliez."  These  were  probably 
common  doublets,  quilted  or  laced  like  the  jack. 

Few  of  these  defences  of  fabric  have  survived,  owing  to  the  ravages 
of  moth  and  damp. 

In  the  Pitt-Rivers  Museum,  Oxford,  are  a  pair  of  culottes  or  drawers 
lined  with  thin  busks  of  steel,  and  also  two  sets  of  rose-pink  silk  doublets, 
breast,  back,  and  fald  padded  with  cotton,  both  presumably  of  the  late 
sixteenth  century  ;  they  are  noticed  in  Arms  and  Armour  at  Oxford^ 
by  the  present  writer,  but  no  definite  history  is  known  of  either  of  the 
specimens.  Doublets  and  "  coats  of  fence  "  of  this  nature  occur  fre- 
quently in  inventories  and  other  documents,  but  the  following  extracts 
give  certain  definite  details  which  bear  directly  on  the  subject. 

1 1 50-1 200  (?).  Speculum  Regale,  Kongs-Skugg-Sio,  edit.  1768,  pp.  405-6 
(actual  date  unknown). 

For  the  rider  the  following  accoutrements  are  necessary  :  coverings 
for  the  legs,  made  of  well-blacked  soft  linen  sewed,  which  should 
extend  to  the  kneeband  of  his  chaucons  or  breeches  ;  over  these 
steel  shin-pieces  so  high  as  to  be  fastened  with  a  double  band.  The 
horseman  to  put  on  linen  drawers,  such  as  I  have  pointed  out. 

(Of  the  horse)  let  his  head,  bridle,  and  neck,  quite  to  the  saddle, 
be  rolled  up  in  linen  armour,  that  no  one  may  fraudulently  seize  the 
bridle  or  the  horse. 

There  is  a  doubt  as  to  the  actual  date  of  this  manuscript.  In  the 
edition  from  which  the  above  translation  is  taken  it  is  described  as  of 
Icelandic  origin  about  the  year  1150,  but  it  may  be  possibly  as  late  as 
the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century.  The  details  of  the  dress  worn 
under  the  armour  may  be  compared  on  the  one  hand  with  the  leggings 
shown  on  the  Bayeux  tapestry  and  on  the  other  hand  with  those  men- 
tioned in  the  Hastings  MS.  of  the  fifteenth  century  {Archceologia^  LVII), 
which  gives  the  details  of  undergarments  worn  by  the  armed  man  at 
this  date  (page  107).  The  horse-armour  is  the  "couverture"  or  trapper 
so  frequently  mentioned  in  inventories,  which  was  often  decorated  with 
fine  embroidery.  Even  altar-hangings  were  used  for  this  purpose,  as 
was  the  case  in  the  sack  of  Rome  in  1527.    Padded  horse-armour  was 


PLATE  XX/ 


THE  USE  OF  FABRICS  AND  LINEN  85 


used  in  the  fifteenth  and  early  sixteenth  centuries  for  tournaments,  minute 
regulations  for  which  are  found  in  the  Traite  d'un  Tournoi  by  King 
Rene  of  Anjou,  which  will  be  referred  to  farther  on  in  this  chapter. 


FRONT. 


BACK, 


Fig,  41,    Padded  Horse-armour  for  the  Tourney  (from  King  Rent's  Traite  (Tun  Tournoi). 

1286.  Comptus  Ballivorum  Franc ia} 

Expense  pro  cendatis,  bourra  ad  gambesones,  tapetis. 

This  item  is  evidently  for  stuffing  gambesons  with  cendaP  and  tow. 
Cendal  is  somewhat  of  a  mystery  as  to  its  exact  nature.  Like  all  fabrics 
of  past  ages,  we  can  but  guess  at  its  nature.  It  has  been  discussed  under 
its  name  in  Gay's  Glossaire  Archceologic. 

1296.  Ordonnances  des  Metiers  de  Paris,  p.  371. 

Que  nus  (armuriers)  ne  puisse  fere  cote  ne  gamboison  de  tele  dont 
I'envers  et  I'endroit  ne  soit  de  tele  noeve,  et  dedenz  de  coton  et  de 
plois  de  toiles,  et  einsi  que  est  qu'il  soient  dedenz  d'escroes. 

It,  Si  Ten  fait  cote  ne  gamboison  dont  I'endroit  soit  de  cendal  et 
I'envers  soit  de  tele,  si  veulent  il  que  ele  soit  noeve  et  se  il  i  a  ploit 
dedenz  de  tele  ne  de  cendal,  que  le  plus  cort  ploit  soit  de  demie  aune 
et  de  demi  quartier  de  lone  au  meins  devant,  et  autant  derrieres,  et 
les  autres  plois  Ions  ensuians.  Et  si  il  i  a  borre  de  soie  qui  le  lit  de 
la  bourre  soit  de  demi  aune  et  demy  quaritier  au  meins  devant  et 
autant  derrieres  et  se  il  i  a  coton,  que  le  coton  vienge  tout  contreval 
jusques  au  piez. 

The  first  of  these  regulations  concerns  the  materials  used,  and  is 

^  Meyrick,  Atitient  Armour,  I,  1 39. 

^  Cf.  jupon  of  Black  Prince  at  Canterbury,  wadded  with  cotton. 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


very  similar  to  that  of  the  Armourers'  Company  of  London  made  in  1322, 
which  is  given  in  fiill  in  Appendix  A.  So  much  of  the  v^^ork  of  the 
padding  and  lining  was  hidden  from  sight  that  these  regulations  were 
most  necessary  to  prevent  the  use  of  old  rags  and  bad  materials.  The 
second  entry  seems  to  refer  to  the  manner  in  which  canvas  and  cendal 
were  to  be  used  and  in  what  proportions.  It  should  be  noticed  that  at 
this  period  the  surcoat,  in  England  at  any  rate,  was  being  gradually 
shortened.  The  regulation  above  quoted,  however,  suggests  in  the  last 
sentence  that  in  France  it  was  still  worn  long. 

1 3 1 1 .  From  the  same  source  as  the  above. 

Que  nules  d'ores  en  avant  ne  puisse  faire  cote  gamboisee  ou  il  n'ait 
3  livres  de  coton  tout  neit,  se  elles  ne  sont  faites  en  sicines  et  au 
dessous  soient  faites  entre  mains  que  il  y  ait  un  pli  de  viel  linge 
empres  I'endroit  de  demi  aune  et  demi  quartier  devant  et  autant 
derriere. 

Here  the  quantity  of  cotton  is  given  and  it  is  ordered  to  be  new. 
It  seems  to  have  been  allowed  to  put  old  linen,  but  this  may  possibly 
only  mean  seasoned  linen,  between  the  folds. 

1322.  Chamber  of  Accounts^  Paris. 

Item  Adae  armentario  40  sol  4  d,  pro  factoris  gambesonorum. 

The  name  "Ada"  of  the  armentarius  rather  suggests  that  it  might 
be  a  female  who  provided  these  gambesons. 

1383.  Chronique  de  Bertrand  du  Guesclin  [T.  II,  p.  95,  235.) 

Ainsois  I'ala  d'une  lance  tranchant 

L'escu  li  a  rompu  et  le  bon  jaserant 

Mais  I'auqueton  fu  fort  qui  fu  de  bougeran 

Et  prendre  auquetons  de  soie  ou  de  bougerans. 

From  the  context  of  the  first  extract  this  haketon  of  buckram  would 
appear  to  be  a  very  serviceable  defence,  for  the  lance  which  had  pene- 
trated the  shield  and  the  jaserant,  or  coat  of  plate,  had  not  penetrated 
the  undergarment  of  buckram.  Like  all  other  fabrics  mentioned  in 
medieval  writings,  we  cannot  definitely  say  of  what  material  this  buck- 
ram was  composed,  but  from  the  second  extract  it  seems  to  have  been 
used  equally  with  silk  for  the  haketon. 


THE  USE  OF  FABRICS  AND  LINEN  87 


1450.  Ordinance  of  Louis  XI  of  France^  Chambres  des  Compts^  Parish 

.  .  .  rabillement  de  jacques  leur  soit  bien  proufitable  et  avantageux 
pour  faire  la  guerre,  veu  qui  sont  gens  de  pie,  et  que  en  ayant  les  bri- 
gandines  il  leur  faut  porter  beaucoup  de  choses  que  en  homme  seul  et 
a  pied  ne  peut  faire,  Et  premierement  leur  faut  des  dits  jacques 
trente  toilles,  ou  de  vingt-cinq,  a  un  cuir  de  cerf  a  tout  le  moins  : 
et  si  sont  de  trente-un  cuirs  de  cerf  ils  sont  des  bons.  Les  toiles 
usees  et  deliees  moyennement  sont  les  meilleures  ;  et  doivent  estre 
les  jacques  a  quartre  quartiers,  et  faut  que  manches  soient  fortes 
comme  le  corps,  reserve  le  cuir.  Et  doit  estre  I'assiette  pregne  pres 
du  collet,  non  pas  sur  I'os  de  I'epaule,  qui  soit  large  dessoulz 
I'assielle  et  plantureux  dessoulz  les  bras,  assez  faulce  et  large  sur  les 
costez  bas,  le  collet  fort  comme  le  demourant  des  jacques  ;  et  que 
le  collet  ne  soit  bas  trop  hault  derriere  pour  I'amour  de  salade.  II 
faut  que  ledit  jacque  soit  lasse  devant  et  qu'il  ait  dessoulz  une  porte 
piece  de  la  force  dudit  jacque.  Ainsi  sera  seur  ledii  jacques  et  aise 
moienant  qu'il  ait  un  pourpoint  sans  manches  ne  collet,  de  deux 
toiles  seulement,  qui  naura  que  quatre  doys  de  large  seur  lespaulle  ; 
auquel  pourpoint  il  attachera  ses  chausses.  Ainsi  flottera  dedens  son 
jacques  et  sera  a  son  aise.  Car  il  ne  vit  oncques  tuer  de  coups-de- 
main,  ne  de  fleches  dedens  lesdits  jacques  ses  hommes. 

These  very  minute  regulations  show  that  the  "jack"  was  considered 
a  most  serviceable  defence  in  the  fifteenth  century.  At  the  same  time 
it  must  have  been  a  hot  and  uncomfortable  garment,  for  twenty-nine  or 
thirty  thicknesses  of  linen  with  a  deerskin  on  the  top,  or  worse  still 
thirty-one  thicknesses  of  deerskin,  would  make  a  thick,  unventilated 
defence  which  would  be  almost  as  insupportable  as  plate  armour.  The 
last  item  may  be  a  clerical  error,  and  indeed  from  the  context  it  would 
appear  to  be  thirty  thicknesses  of  linen  with  one  of  deerskin,  for  the 
leather  would  be  far  more  costly  to  work  up  than  the  linen.  The 
extract  has  been  given  in  full  because  it  is  so  rare  to  come  across 
practical  details  of  construction  of  this  nature. 

1470.  Harl.  MS.  4780.  Inventory  of  Edward  IV. 

Item  a  doublet  of  crimson  velvet  lined  with  Hollande  cloth  and 
interlined  with  busk. 

This  may  be  only  an  ordinary  doublet,  or  it  may  be  some  kind  of 
"coat  of  fence"  or  "privy  coat"  lined  with  plates  of  steel,  horn,  or  whale- 
bone. These  "  busks"  of  steel  are  found  as  late  as  the  seventeenth  century, 

^  See  also  Du  Cange,  Glossaire^  under  "Jacque." 


88         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


for  Gustavus  Adolphus  had  a  coat  lined  with  them  (Lifrustkammer, 
Stockholm)  and  Bradshaw's  hat  (AshmoleanMus.,  Oxford)  is  strengthened 
with  steel  strips.     (Fig.  50.) 

1450  {arc).   'Traite  d'un  Tournoi,  King  Rene. 

.  .  .  que  ledit  harnoys  soit  si  large  et  si  ample  que  on  puisse  vestir 
et  mettre  dessoulz  ung  porpoint  ou  courset  ;  et  fault  que  le  porpoint 
soit  faultre  de  trys  dois  d'espez  sur  les  espaules,  et  au  long  des  bras 
jusques  au  col. 

En  Brabant,  Flandre  et  Haynault  et  en  ce  pays-la  vers  les  Almaignes, 
ont  acoustome  d'eulx  armer  de  la  personne  autrement  au  tournoy  : 
car  ils  prennent  ung  demy  porpoint  de  deux  toilles  .  .  ,  de  quatre 
dois  d'espez  et  remplis  de  couton. 

It  would  seem  from  the  above  that  in  France  the  garment  worn 
under  the  tourney-armour  was  folded  till  it  was  three  fingers  thick  on 
the  shoulders.  In  the  Low  Countries,  however,  the  pourpoint  was  of  a 
diiferent  fashion,  for  there  they  made  the  garment  of  two  thicknesses 
and  stuffed  this  with  cotton- waste  to  the  thickness  of  four  fingers.  The 
difference  of  thickness  can  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  folded  linen 
would  not  compress  so  much  as  cotton-waste.  It  should  be  noted  in 
the  extract  from  the  Ordinances  of  Louis  XI  that  old  material  is  advised 
as  being  more  pliable  and  softer.  At  the  same  time  we  may  be  sure 
that  it  was  carefully  chosen.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  in  1322  the 
material  is  ordered  to  be  new,  but  in  1450  old  linen  is  recommended. 

Besides  the  making  of  undergarments  or  complete  defences  of  linen 
overgarments,  pourpoints,  the  Linen  Armourers,  as  we  find  them  called 
in  the  City  of  London  Records,  made  linings  for  helmets.  This  was  a 
most  important  detail  in  the  equipment  of  a  man,  for  the  helm  or  helmet 
was  worse  than  useless  if  it  did  not  fit  securely  and  if  the  head  was  not 
adequately  padded  to  take  off  the  shock  of  the  blow.  In  the  Sloane  MS  . 
6400,  we  find  among  the  retinue  of  Henry  V  at  Agincourt,  "Nicholas 
Brampton,  a  stufFer  of  bacynets,"  and  in  the  Oxford  City  Records  under 
the  date  1369  are  the  entries  "Bacynet  13/4,  stuffing  for  ditto  3/4." 
In  the  Hastings  MS.  (Archceologia.^  LVII),  among  the  items  given  as  the 
"  Abilment  for  the  Justus  of  the  Pees,"  the  first  on  the  list  is  "a  helme 
well  stuffy d."  This  stuffing  consisted  of  a  thickly  padded  cap  or  lining 
tied  to  the  head-piece  with  strings,  which  are  clearly  shown  in  the  well- 


3 


GAUNTLETS  AND  GORGKT 
1.  BRIDLE  (iAUNTLET.     2.  RIGHT  HAND  GAUNTLET  BY  JACOl!  TOPE,  PART  OF  THE  "LEICESTER"  Sl'IT. 
3.  P.RIDLE  GAUNTLET  OF  JAMES   I.     4.  XV  CENT.  GAUNTLET  WITH  -GADLINGS"  ON   THE  KNUCKLES. 

r,.  LOCKING  GAUNTLET,  XVI  CENT.     i).  BRIDLE  GAUNTLET,  XVI  CENT, 
r.  PARADE  GAUNTLET  BY  HEINRICK  KNOPF,  LWO.    s.  (JAUNTLET  FOR  FKiHTING  AT  BARRIERS.  XVI  CENT. 

0.  GORGET  BY  J.ACOP  J0RIN(;K,  um 


THE  USE  OF  FABRICS  AND  LINEN  89 


known  engraving  of  Albert  Diirer,  of  a  man  and  a  woman  supporting 
a  shield  on  which  is  a  skull  (Fig.  42,  2).  There  are  some  of  these  caps 
in  the  Waffensammlung,  Vienna,  which  have  been  noticed  in  Vol.  II 
of  the  Zeitschrift  fur  Historische  JVaffenkunde, 


Fig.  42. 

1.  Padded  "  harnisch-kappe,"  Vienna. 

2.  Helm  showing-  attachment  of  cap  and  lining  (after  Diirer). 

The  original  lining  of  Sir  Henry  Lee's  helmet  (Plate  XIII)  is  still 
in  situ  ;  this,  however,  is  riveted  to  the  helmet  and  follows  the  shape  of 
the  head.   In  this  respect  it  is  different  from  the  helmet-cap,  which  was 


Fig.  43.  Sallad-cap 
(from  a  picture  by 
Paolo  Morando, 
i486- 1522,  No. 
571,  Uffizi,  Flor- 
ence). 


Fig.  44.  Helmet-cap  (from 
a  sixteenth-century  engra- 
ving of  lacob  Fugger). 


padded.  A  padded  cap  was  worn  independently  of  the  lining  of  the 
helmet.  These  are  shown  on  Figs.  43,  44.  Similar  caps  are  shown  on 
the  following  works  of  Diirer :  S.  George  on  foot,  S.  George  (Stephan 
Baumgartner)  and  Felix  Hungersbourg. 


12 


90         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


1586.  Chronicles,  Raphael  Holinshed  (edit.  1807,  II,  xvi,  333). 

Our  armour  differeth  not  from  that  of  other  nations,  and  therefore 
consisteth  of  corselets,  almaine  riuets,  shirts  of  maile,  iackes  quilted 
and  couered  ouer  with  leather,  fustian,  or  canuas,  ouer  thicke  plates 
of  iron  that  are  sowed  in  the  same,  &  of  which  there  is  no  towne 
or  village  that  hath  not  hir  conuenient  furniture. 

These  defences  are  of  the  same  nature  as  the  jack  shown  on  Figs. 
24,  25.  The  brigandine  was  more  elaborate  and  costly,  for  it  was 
composed  of  small  plates  riveted  to  the  foundation  and  covering  of 
fabric  and  was  therefore  the  work  of  a  skilled  artificer.  The  jack,  on 
the  other  hand,  was  more  easily  put  together  and  could  be  done  by 
the  wearer  himself  or  by  his  wife.  An  interesting  example  of  one  of 
these  village  armouries  mentioned  above  is  to  be  found  at  Mendlesham 
Church,  Suffolk,  in  the  strong-room  of  which  are  portions  of  suits  and 
half-suits  dating  from  the  late  fifteenth  to  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  The  church  also  preserves  the  records  of  the  upkeep  of  the 
equipment,  one  of  the  last  entries  being  in  16 13,  a  payment  of  is.  4d. 
to  an  armourer  for  "  varnishinge  the  town  head-piece  and  the  corslitt 
and  for  setting  on  leathers  and  rivettes." 

1 59 1-5.  Instructions,  Observations  and  Orders  Militarie,  p.  185,  Sir  John  Smith, 
Archers  should  weare  either  Ilet  holed  doublets  that  will  resist 
the  thrust  of  a  sword  or  a  dagger  and  covered  with  some  trim  and 
gallant  kinde  of  coloured  cloth  to  the  liking  of  the  Captain.  .  .  . 
or  else  Iackes  of  maile  quilted  upon  fustian. 

From  the  nature  of  their  composition  these  "  eyelet  doublets  "  are 
rarely  to  be  met  with.  They  were  made  of  twine  or  thread  knitted  all 
over  in  eyelets  or  button-holes.  The  appearance  is  much  the  same  as 
modern  "tatting"  and  macrame  work.  The  best-known  examples  are 
in  the  Musee  Porte  de  Hal,  Brussels  (II,  8  i),  in  the  Cluny  Museum,  and 
in  the  Musee  d'Artillerie,  G,  210  (Fig.  45). 

1662.  Decades  of  Epistles  of  War,  Gervase  Markham. 

The  shot  should  have  on  his  head  a  good  and  sufficient  Spanish 
morian  well  lined  in  the  head  with  a  quilted  cap  of  strong  linen 
and  bound  with  lined  ear  plates. 

1643.  Souldiers  Accidence,  Gervase  Markham. 

.  .  .  the  shot  should  have  good  comb  caps  well  lined  with  quilted 
caps. 


THE  USE  OF  FABRICS  AND  LINEN  9i 


It  will  be  obvious  that  the  maker  of  linings  and  undergarments  for 
the  soldier  had  to  be  in  constant  touch  with  the  armourer,  for  he  had 
to  make  allowances  for  the  style  and  cut  of  the  armour. 

In  the  Wardrobe  Accounts  of  Edward  I  quoted  on  page  79  there  are 
entries  of  payments  to  Robinet,  the  King's  tailor,  for  armour,  banners, 


1  2 

Fig.  45.  Details  of  Eyelet  Coats. 
I.  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  G,  210.      2.  Musee  de  Cluny,  Paris. 


crests,  helmets,  and  robes  for  the  King,  his  son,  and  John  of  Lancaster. 
At  the  end  of  this  chapter  we  shall  notice  this  combining  of  the  crafts 
of  the  armourer  and  tailor  when  dealing  with  the  linen  armourers. 

It  was  obviously  important  that  the  tailor  should  be  in  touch  with  the 
armourer  and  suit  his  material  and  cut  to  the  equipment  worn  over  them. 

1 59 1 -5.  Instructions  and  Orders  Militaries  p.  185,  Sir  John  Smith. ^ 

No  armed  man  should  weare  any  cut  doublets,  as  well  in  respect 
that  the  wearing  of  armour  doth  quicklie  fret  them  out  and  also  by 
reason  that  the  corners  and  edges  of  the  lames  and  jointes  of  the 
armours  doo  take  such  holde  uppon  such  cuttes  as  they  do  hinder 
the  quicke  and  sudden  arming  of  men. 

All  parts  of  the  suit  were  lined,  for  in  spite  of  the  padded  under- 
garment there  was  bound  to  be  a  certain  amount  of  chafing  which,  if 
the  armour  was  unlined,  would  in  time  rub  through  the  undergarment. 
In  many  portraits,  especially  those  of  the  late  sixteenth  century,  the 
linings  are  shown  projecting  below  the  edges  of  the  various  pieces  of 
the  suit.    The  edges  of  these  linings  are  generally  scalloped. 

^  Cousin  of  Edward  VI,  and  knighted  by  Elizabeth  in  1 576.  His  free  criticism  on  military  matters  led  to 
the  suppression  of  his  "  Discourses  on  the  form  and  effects  of  divers  sorts  of  weapons,"  and  he  was  committed 
to  the  Tower. 


92         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


In  the  picture  by  Breughel  on  the  frontispiece  a  cuisse  is  shown,  im- 
mediately beneath  the  basket  of  glass  bottles  in  the  centre  of  the  picture, 
which  clearly  has  a  padded  lining.  In  a  list  of  payments  for  work  done 
to  Henry  VIIFs  armour  we  find  "  9  yards  of  Cheshire  cotton  at  yd.  for 
lining  the  king's  pasguard  grandguard  great  mayn  de  fer."  A  similar 
charge  is  made  in  1521  for  two  yards  of  yellow  satin  at  7/4  for  lining 
two  head-pieces,  two  pair  of  tasses,  a  pasguard,  and  two  maynd  fers. 
In  15  10  we  find  an  entry  of  payment  of  25  fl.  29  kr.  to  Walter  Zeller 
of  Innsbruck  for  lining  armour  with  black  velvet  and  silk.^  Frequently 
the  padding  is  shown  in  miniatures,  especially  on  the  inside  of  shields 
and  bucklers.  The  Highland  targes  are  generally  padded  on  the  inside 
with  straw  to  take  some  of  the  shock  of  a  blow  from  the  arm.  The 
lining  of  such  pieces  as  the  taces  and  pauldrons  was  added  to  prevent 
the  metal  over  which  they  worked  fi'om  being  scratched,  and  also  to 
lessen  the  metallic  noise,  which  would  be  a  serious  factor  in  night 
attacks.  Horse-armour,  of  course,  needed  heavy  lining,  but  little  of 
this  remains.  An  excellent  reconstruction  of  lined  horse-armour  is  to 
be  found  on  No.  620,  Wallace  Collection. 

The  stuffing  of  these  padded  garments  was  not  always  of  cotton. 
In  the  inventory  of  the  goods  of  Sir  John  FalstofFe,  1459  [Archceologia^ 
XXI),  we  find  "  i.  jack  of  black  linen  stuffed  with  mail  and  vi.  jacks 
stuffed  with  horne,  xxiiij.  cappes  stuffed  with  horne  and  mayle,  vj.  payre 
of  glovys  of  mayle  of  shepys  skynne."  Under  the  heading  "  Gambeson," 
Du  Cange  ^  states  that  the  gambeson  was  stuffed  with  wool  soaked  with 
vinegar,  to  resist  iron,  and  he  gives  a  reference  to  Pliny,  Bk.  VIII,  c.  48, 
as  bearing  on  this  statement.  This  was  probably  done  to  keep  out 
vermin,  a  serious  factor  when  long  marches  with  bad  camping  arrange- 
ments were  undertaken. 

In  all  the  defences  which  were  mainly  composed  of  fabrics,  the 
object  seems  to  have  been  to  provide  a  substance  which  would  resist  cut 
or  thrust  and  at  the  same  time  would  offer  a  certain  resiliency  to  the 
blow.  A  practical  experiment  upon  thick  leather  and  upon  folded  or 
padded  cloth  will  prove  this.  Till  recent  years  the  Japanese  made  much 
of  their  armour  of  quilted  fabrics,  the  chief  drawback  to  which  was  its 
heat  and  want  of  ventilation. 

Jahrhuch  des  Kumthist,  Sammlitngeii^  II,  995.  -  Johnes'  edit.,  I,  13 1. 


MAN  AT  ARMS.     MIDDLE  OF  XV  CENT. 


THE  USE  OF  FABRICS  AND  LINEN 


93 


This  linen  armour  or  linen  and  fabric  covering  for  armour  was  a 
distinct  craft  in  itself,  and  was  practised  by  the  linen  armourers,  who 
had  the  sole  right  to  cover  armour  or  to  make  such  defences  as  have 
been  enumerated  above.  That  they  were  also  tailors  we  know  from 
their  subsequent  incorporation  with  the  Merchant  Tailors  and  also  from 
the  Wardrobe  Accounts^  of  Edward  I,  in  which  Robinet,  the  King's 
tailor,  is  mentioned  as  making  robes  and  armours  and  banners. 

Besides  the  lining  of  armour  and  the  provision  of  padded  defences 
of  fabric,  there  was  a  large  field  of  employment  in  the  covering  of 
armour.  As  may  be  noticed  in  Appendix  A,  this  covering  of  helmets 
seems  to  have  been  common  in  the  first  years  of  the  fourteenth  century. 
There  were  three  reasons  for  covering  the  steel  head-piece  with  fabric. 
Firstly,  as  Chaucer  writes  with  regard  to  the  mail  hauberk  (page  78),  to 
keep  it  from  wet,  the  enemy  of  all  iron  and  steel  work  ;  secondly,  as 
Roger  Ascham  writes  of  the  peacock-wing  for  arrows,  for  gayness  "  ; 
and  thirdly,  to  prevent  the  glitter  of  metal  attracting  attention.^  In  the 
Treatise  of  Johan  Hill,  written  in  1434-  (Appendix  C,  page  173),  the 
covering  of  the  armour,  especially  for  the  legs,  is  ordered  to  be  of  scarlet 
"because  his  adversarie  shall  not  lightly  espye  his  blode."  Helmet- 
bags  are  mentioned  in  inventories,  etc. 
In  1578  we  find  steel  caps  with 
covers  "  noticed  in  more  than  one  will,^ 
and  in  the  Lieutenancy  Accounts  for 
Lancashire,  temp.  Elizabeth,  the  archer's 
dress  includes  a  "  scull  and  Scottish  cap 
to  cover  the  same"  (Fig.  46).  Several 
helmets  in  the  Waffensammlungen  at 
Vienna  still  show  the  silk  and  satin 
coverings,  and  in  Munich  a  triple- 
crowned   burgonet  has  a   black  velvet      Fig.  46.   Sallad  with  cover,  from  a 

rT-\i         I'll  ^       T7        4.'  sixteenth-century  ensrravine-. 

cover.     1  he   highly  ornate   Venetian  ^  & 

sallads,  covered  with  crimson  velvet,  over  which  is  set  a  gilt  open-work 

decoration  of  metal,  are  fairly  common  in  collections  (Plate  XVI). 


^  Lib.  Gardroba,  28  Ed.  I,  1300.    Soc.  of  Antiq. 

^  Vide  modern  War  Office  regulations  of  the  present  day  as  to  scabbards  of  swords,  Highland  kilts,  etc, 
^  Arch.  Journ.,  LX,  "  Armour  Notes." 


94  THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


The  surcoat  and  tabard  hardly  come  within  the  province  of  the 
armourer,  for  they  were  quite  distinct  from  the  armour.  They  were, 
however,  in  fashion  in  various  forms  till  the  middle  of  the  reign  of 
Henry  VIII,  who  landed  in  France,  according  to  Hall,  in  15 14  with  a 
garment  of  white  cloth  of  gold  bearing  a  red  cross."  Padded  and 
quilted  defences  appear  to  have  been  worn  in  the  early  seventeenth 
century,  for  the  Hon.  Roger  North  in  his  Examen  writes  that  "  there 
was  great  abundance  of  silk  armour,"  which  in  many  cases  was  said  to 
be  of  pistol  proof.  Some  of  these  backs,  breasts,  and  taces,  wadded 
with  cotton  and  covered  with  salmon-coloured  silk,  are  preserved  in  the 
Pitt-Rivers  Museum,  Oxford. 

THE  LINEN  ARMOURERS 

As  we  have  seen  on  page  9 1 ,  in  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  cen- 
turies the  tailor  was  often  also  a  purveyor  of  armour.  M.  Buttin^ 
quotes  several  extracts  from  documents  of  the  fourteenth  century  in  which 
different  names  of  craftsmen  appear  classed  as  "Brodeurs  et  Armuriers." 
It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  notice  here  that  the  "  milliner  "  of  the 
present  day  was  originally  the  Milaner  or  Milanese  pedlar,  who  purveyed 
armour,  weapons,  and  clothing  of  all  sorts. 

The  Linen  Armourers,  as  they  were  called,  were  a  gild  distinct 
from  the  Armourers,  for  in  1272  they  were  instituted  as  "  The  Fraternity 
of  Tailors  and  Linen  Armourers  of  Linen  Armour  of  S.  John  the 
Baptist  in  the  City  of  London."  Edward  III  was  an  honorary  member 
of  the  gild,  and  Richard  II  also  became  a  member  when  he  confirmed 
their  charter.  Their  first  patent  of  arms  was  granted  by  Edward  IV  in 
the  year  1466,  and  in  this  document  the  society  is  called  "  Gilda 
Armorarii."^  This  naturally  causes  some  confusion  with  the  Armourers' 
Company,  and  in  many  documents  it  is  uncertain  which  gild  is  referred 
to.  The  first  master  was  Henry  de  Ryall,  who  was  called  the  Pilgrim 
or  Traveller.  As  has  been  stated  above,  their  first  charter  was  from 
Edward  III.  Richard  II  confirmed  by  "  inspeximus "  this  charter. 
Henry  IV  also  confirmed  the  charter,  and  Henry  VI  granted  right  of 
search,  which  allowed  the  gild  to  inspect  shops  and  workshops  and 

^  Le  Guet  de  Geneve,  Geneva,  1910. 

2  Hist  of  12  L  'nery  Co.^s  of  London^  Herbert,  1 836. 


THE  USE  OF  FABRICS  AND  LINEN  95 


confiscate  any  work  which  did  not  come  up  to  their  standard.  It  is 
doubtful  whether  the  document  given  in  Appendix  A  refers  to  this 
gild  or  to  that  of  the  Armourers,  for  it  contains  regulations  which 
would  affect  both  gilds.  It  gives  details  as  to  that  "  right  of  search  " 
which  was  an  important  part  of  the  duties  of  the  gilds. 

In  the  reign  of  Edward  IV  the  gild  was  incorporated,  and  under 
Henry  VII  it  became  the  Merchant  Tailors'  Company,  with  the  charter 
which  is  held  by  that  company  at  the  present  day.  This  charter  was 
confirmed  by  Henry  VIII,  Edward  VI,  Philip  and  Mary,  Elizabeth, 
and  James  I. 


THE  USE  OF  LEATHER 


FROM  the  earliest  times  leather  has  been  a  favourite  material  for 
defensive  armour.  The  shield  of  Ajax  was  fashioned  of  seven  bulls' 
hides,  and  the  soldiers  of  the  King  and  of  the  Parliament  in  the 
Civil  War  favoured  the  buff  coat.  Between  these  periods  leather  was 
utilized  in  many  ways,  and  when  specially  treated  was  a  most  serviceable 

protection  which  had  the  merit  of  being  lighter  and 
less  costly  than  metal.  The  word  "cuirass"  itself  is 
derived  from  the  body-defence  of  leather  (cuir). 

The  Hon.  Robert  Curzon,  writing  in  1869,  men- 
tions a  cuirass  of  three  thicknesses  of  leather  found  in 
a  stone  coffin  of  the  thirteenth  century  {^Arch.  yourn.^ 
XXII,  p.  6). 

At  a  time  when  the  weaving  of  fabrics  was  in  a 
more  or  less  primitive  state,  the  skins  of  beasts  were 
used  either  as  the  sole  defence  of  the  warrior  or  were 
reinforced  with  plates  of  metal  applied  over  the  most 
vital  parts  of  the  body  (Figs.  47,  48). 

It  is  always  a  matter  of  some  difficulty,  especially 
in  the  earlier  examples,  to  tell  what  materials  are  in- 
FiG.  47.  Cuirass  from  tcndcd  in  illuminated  miniatures,  for  we  find  what 

the  sketch  -  book  of  |  ^  •11 

wiliarsdeHonecourt,  appcars  to  DC  platc  armour  painted  brown  or  parti- 
thirteenth  century,    ^olourcd,  and  this  points  to  thc  fact  that  armour  of  all 

kinds  was  frequently  painted,  even 

chain  mail  being  coloured  to  suit  the 

taste  of  the  wearer,  and  also,  a  more 

important  reason,  to  preserve  it  from 

wet  and  rust.  In  some  representa- 
tions of  scale  armour,  the  drawing  of  y^^.  ^^^7Ili:^tZ^i\^t,  Ashmoiean  Musem. 

the  scales,  as  for  example  the  figure  Oxford. 

given  on  Plate  I,  2,  of  my  book  on  Armour  and  Weapons,  suggests 

96 


PARADE  SHIELD  BV  DESIDERIUS  COLMAN,  ir,r,i 

*  THIi  DF.TAII.  IS  GIVEN   ON   I'AGE  I  ?5 


THE  USE  OF  LEATHER 


leather  rather  than  metal,  and  certainly  the  much -debated -upon 
"  banded  mail "  must  have  been  a  mixture  of  leather  and  metal. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  twelfth  century  we  find  the  material  known 
as  "  cuir-bouilli"  or  "  cuerbully  "  mentioned  as  being  used  for  the  armour 
of  man  and  horse.  The  hide  of  the  animal  was  cut  thick,  boiled  in  oil 
or  in  water,  and,  when  soft,  moulded  to  the  required  shape.  When 
cold  it  became  exceedingly  hard  and  would  withstand  nearly  as  much 
battle- wear  as  metal. 

It  had  the  advantage  of  being  easily  procured,  easily  worked,  and 
also  of  being  much  lighter  than  the  metal.  For  this  reason  it  was  used 
largely  for  jousts  and  tourneys,  which  up  to  the  fifteenth  century  were 
more  of  the  nature  of  mimic  fights  than  was  the  case  at  a  later  date,  when 
the  onset  was  more  earnest  and  the  armour  was  made  correspondingly 
heavy  to  withstand  it. 

The  best  leather  seems  to  have  come  from  Spain  and  especially 
from  Cordova.  Among  the  Ordonnances  des  rots  in  the  Bib.  Nat. 
Fran9ais  (T.  II,  357)  we  find  it  distinctly  stated  that  Cordova  leather 
was  far  better  than  that  of  France  or  Flanders.  This  may  have  been 
due  to  the  breed  of  horses  or  cattle  found  there,  but  it  is  more  likely 
that  the  tanners  of  that  town  had  made  a  speciality  of  treating  the  hides. 

On  the  sculptured  effigies  and  monumental  brasses 
of  the  fourteenth  century  we  find  the  jambs  and 
poleynes  often  richly  decorated  and  moulded  with  more 
skill  than  the  other  parts  of  the  armour,^  and  these  were 
probably  of  cuir-bouilli. 

The  d'Aubernon,  Setvans,  and  Gorleston  brasses  are 
good  examples  of  this.  Chaucer  in  his  Rime  of  Sir 
Thopas  mentions  jambs  of  cuir-bouilli  as  being  part  of 
the  ordinary  equipment  of  the  knight  (see  page  100).  Brassard  of 

Both  King  Rene  and  Antoine  de  la  Salle  prescribe    leather  and  cord  for 
cuir-bouilli  as  the  material  for  the  brassards  used  in  the  ^^neT^TrlM^^^Tn 
tourney  (Fig.  49),  and  this  fashion  seems  to  have  lasted  Tour7ioi). 
from  the  last  quarter  of  the  thirteenth  century,  at  which  date  we  have 
cuir-bouilli  armour  mentioned  in  the  roll  of  purchases  for  the  tournament 

^  The  Pembridge  effigy  in  Hereford  Cathedral  has  thigh-pieces  which  apparently  represent  leather 
laced  on  the  inside. 

13 


98         THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


at  Windsor  Park,  held  by  Edward  I,  down  to  the  last  quarter  of  the 
fifteenth  century.  Oliver  de  la  Marche,  writing  at  the  end  of  the  same 
century,  describes  the  armour  of  Mahiot  and  Jacotin  Plouvier  fighting 
in  a  duel  as  being  of  cuir-bouilli  sewn  on  the  body,  legs,  and  arms.^  In 
his  tAdvis  de  gaige  de  battaile  the  same  author  mentions  leather  armour 
as  being  only  fit  for  the  man  who  is  "  point  gentilhomme." 

As  late  as  the  year  1500  cuir-bouilli  was  much  used  for  horse- 
armour  on  account  of  its  lightness.  Of  this  we  have  two  specimens 
remaining  to  us  in  the  full  suit  at  Turin  (G,  2)  and  the  crupper  at  the 
Tower  (VI,  89).  The  horse  on  Plate  XVII  is  apparently  armed  with 
mail  which  is  covered  with  trappers  of  leather.  The  original,  which 
was  an  ivory  chessman  in  the  possession  of  Rev.  Eagles,  has  disappeared. 
It  was  figured  by  Hewitt  in  Ancient  Armour^  Vol.  I,  and  was  cast. 
The  photograph  given  here  is  from  the  cast.  Among  the  few  specimens 
of  leather  armour  for  the  man  may  be  noted  a  morion  in  the  Zeughaus, 
Berlin  (60^),  and  a  pair  of  seventeenth- century  leather  "lobster- tail" 
cuisses  at  Goodrich  Court,  Herefordshire. 

The  reason  for  this  dearth  of  examples  of  leather  armour  in  col- 
lections at  the  present  day  is  twofold.  Much  of  the  discarded  armour 
of  this  nature  would  be  used  for  various  domestic  purposes,  such  as  jugs, 
horse-furniture,  and  such-like  uses,  and  also  much  would  be  thrown  away 
as  useless,  for  leather  unless  carefully  kept  and  oiled  tends  to  crack  and 
warp  out  of  shape. 

The  above-mentioned  bards  for  horses  appear  frequently  in  paint- 
ings of  the  early  sixteenth  century.  The  picture  of  the  battle  of  Pavia 
in  the  Ashmolean  Museum,  Oxford,^  shows  many  of  these  brilliantly 
painted  with  armorial  and  fancy  designs,  and  the  absence  of  rivet-heads 
points  to  the  fact  that  they  are  not  of  metal. 

The  painting  of  bards  seems  to  have  been  a  distinct  trade,  for  we 
find  in  the  Statuto  de'  pittori  Fiorentini  rubr.  79  (Carteggio  ined. 
d' artistic  T.  II,  p.  40)  regulations  forbidding  any  but  the  registered 
bard-painters  to  undertake  such  work. 

That  cuir-bouilli  was  not  proof  against  firearms  we  learn  fi"om 
Jean  de  Troyes  (page  260),  who  writes:  ''Si  y  eut  un  cheval  tout  barde 
de  cuir  bouilli  qui  fut  tue  d'un  coup  de  coulverine."    This  refers  to 

^  Memoirs,  Vol.  I,  ch.  33.  ^  Arms  and  Armour  at  Oxford,  C.  fFoulkes. 


THE  USE  OF  LEATHER 


99 


the  date  1465,  when  firearms  were  but  primitive  weapons.  Dressed 
leather,  however,  in  the  form  of  the  buff  coat  was  used  up  to  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  when  the  penetrating  power  of  the 
bullet  was  greater.  At  the  same  time  we  should  remember,  as  Marshal 
Saxe  very  truly  points  out  in  his  advocacy  of  plate  armour  {Reveries^ 
p.  58),  that  many  wounds  at  this  time  were  caused  by  sword,  lance, 
and  spent  bullet,  all  of  which  might  have  been  avoided  by  the  use  of 
some  thick  material.  The  Marshal  suggests  sheet-iron  sewn  upon  a 
buff  coat,  but  the  buff  coat  itself,  |  in.  thick,  would  be  a  very  ade- 
quate, though  hot  and  heavy,  protection  without  the  addition  of  metal. 

The  leather  guns  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  will  be  found  mentioned  in 
the  following  pages,  but  these  were  only  covered  with  leather,  presum- 
ably to  protect  them  from  wet,  and  were  not  made  entirely  of  this 
material.  We  have  no  record  of  cuir-bouilli  being  employed  to  make 
artillery,  and  of  course  the  chief  reason  against  its  use  would  be  the 
weakness  of  the  seam  or  join. 

The  only  use  of  leather  or  cuir-bouilli  for  defensive  armour  found 
at  the  present  day  is  found  in  the  small  bucklers  of  the  hill  tribes  of 
India.  These  are  often  so  skilfully  treated  that  the 
leather  is  transparent  and  is  almost  impervious  to 
a  sword-cut,  forming  a  very  fair  defence  against  the 
bullet  from  the  primitive  flintlocks  in  use  among 

those  tribes.  F^^-  5°-  .  ^at  of  Bradshaw 

.        Ill  •    r  1*1  11  regicide,  of  leather  and 

The  leather  hat  remiorced  with  steel  plates    steei.   Ashmoiean  mus., 
given  at  Fig.  5  o  was  worn  by  the  regicide  Bradshaw 
at  the  trial  of  Charles  I.^ 

^  Arms  and  Armour  at  Oxford,  C.  fFoulkes, 


iillli 


100        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


REFERENCES  TO  LEATHER  AND  CUIR-BOUILLI  FROM 
CONTEMPORARY  DOCUMENTS 

1 185.  Chanson  d" Antioc he. 

Moult  fu  riches  qu'il  li  a  chief  mi 
Son  poitrail  lui  laca  qui  fu  de  cuir  bolis. 

The  "  poitrail "  in  this  extract  is  the  breastplate  of  the  knight  and 

not  of  the  horse. 

1278.  Koll  of  Purchases  for  the  Tournament  at  Windsor  Park. 

De  Milon  le  Cuireur  xxxviij  quiret  :  p'c  pec  iij  s. 
Itm.  ij  Crest  &  j  Blazon  &  una  galea  cor  &  j  ensis  de  Balon 
de  Rob'o  Brunnler  xxxviij  galee  de  cor  p'c  galee  xiv. 

This  tournament  seems  to  have  been  more  of  a  pageant  than  a 
serious  contest  like  those  of  the  fifteenth  century.  No  armour  of 
metal  is  mentioned  among  the  purchases  and  the  weapons  are  of  whale- 
bone, a  material  which  was  used  also  for  gauntlets,  as  we  know  from 
Froissart's^  description  of  the  equipment  of  the  troops  of  Philip  von 
Artevelde  at  the  battle  of  Rosebecque  in  1382.  Whalebone  was  also 
employed  for  "  privy  coats  "  or  brigandines,  in  which  it  was  inserted 
between  the  lining  and  the  cover.  Buckram  is  also  mentioned  as  being 
used  for  body-armour,  which  material  will  be  found  alluded  to  in  the 
section  devoted  to  the  Linen  Armourers. 

1345.  Les  Lhres  de  Comptes  des  Freres  Bonis,  I.  174,  Forestie. 
Item  deu  per  un  brasalot.  .  .  de  cuer  negre. 

1 35 1.  Ordonnances  du  roi Jean  IV,  69. 

Ordenons  que  I'arbalestrier  .  .  .  sera  arme  de  plates  .  .  .  et  de 
harnois  de  bras  de  fer  et  de  cuir. 

These  brassards  of  cuir-bouilli  seem  to  have  been  common  in  the 
fourteenth  century  ;  their  popularity  being  doubtless  due  to  their  light- 
ness and  cheapness  as  compared  with  metal.  M.  Buttin  in  his  interest- 
ing pamphlet  Le  Guet  de  Genlve^  gives  several  extracts  from  inventories 
and  other  documents  which  bear  out  this  statement. 
1350.  Pime  of  Sir  Thopas,  Chaucer. 

His  jambeux  were  of  curebully. 
^  Johnes'  trans.,  I,  739.  ^  Kundig,  Geneva,  I910. 


DRAWINC;  KV  JACOH  TOl'F,   I .Wd-l.-.HV 

I'kOM    I  HK   "  AHMOUREU  S  AI.DUIVI,  "  VICTOKTA   AS'.l  AI.BKKT  JVIUSEUM 


V 


ARMOUR  OF  SIR  CHRISTOPHER  HATTON,  KY  JACOli  TOP 


THE  USE  OF  LEATHER 


101 


The  skilfully  modelled  jambs  and  poleynes  which  appear  on  many 
brasses  and  effigies  of  the  fourteenth  century  rather  suggest  that  leather 
was  used  and  not  metal,  as  the  rest  of  the  armour  does  not  show  such 
skill  of  forging.  These  leg-pieces  are  nearly  always  shown  as  richly 
engraved,  which  also  points  to  the  suggestion  that  they  were  of  cuir- 
bouilli,  which  would  be  an  easier  material  to  decorate  with  painting  or 
modelling  than  metal. 

141 1.  Inventorie  de  I'ecurie  du  roi^f.  108  vo. 

Une  armure  de  cuir  de  Surie  pour  armer  rhomme  et  le  cheval, 

1450.  Traite  d'un  Tournoi,  Roi  Rene. 

En  Brebant,  Flandres  et  Haynault  at  en  ces  pays  la  vers  Almaignes 
.  .  .  mettant  unes  bracieres  grosses  de  4  dois  d'espez  et  remplies 
de  cotton  sur  quoys  ils  arment  les  avant  bras  et  les  garde-bras  de 
cuir  bouilly. 

This  entry  may  be  compared  with  that  of  the  Windsor  Park 
Tournament  quoted  above.  King  Rene's  book  has  the  advantage  of  being 
illustrated  with  drawings  of  these  and  all  the  other  details  mentioned 
in  his  regulations  for  a  tourney.  The  brassards  shown  in  the  drawing 
have  cords  fixed  lengthways  so  as  to  provide  an  extra  protection  against 
the  blow  of  the  mace  or  wooden  sword  which  Rene  describes  as  the 
weapons  to  be  used.  Brassards  of  a  similar  kind  are  mentioned  in 
Antoine  de  la  Salle's  Des  anciens  tournois  et  Faictz  d'Armes  (edit. 
B.  Prost.,  p.  120). 

1 47 1.  Inv.  du  Roi  Rene  a  Angers,  fo.  3  vo. 

Quatre  targetes  de  cuir  bouilly  a  la  facon  de  Tunes. 

These  targets,  made  after  an  Oriental  model,  would  probably  resemble 
those  which  are  frequently  seen  in  India  and  Persia  at  the  present  day, 
in  which  the  leather  is  hard  and  often  highly  polished  and  decorated 
with  painting  and  gilding.  The  Highland  targe  is  fashioned  differently, 
for  the  foundation  is  of  wood  and  the  skin  or  hide  stretched  over  it. 

1480.  U Artillerie  des  Dues  de  'Bourogne,  Gamier,  appendix,  p.  230. 
Onze  gands  et  huit  brasselets  de  cuir  pour  archiers. 

Here  the  "  brasselets "  are  not  arm-defences,  but  are  simply  the 
"bracer"  or  arm-guard  which  protected  the  wrist  of  the  archer  from  the 
string  of  his  own  bow  when  released. 


102        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


1493.  L'advis  de  gaige  de  battaille^  O.  de  la  Marche. 

S'il  n'est  point  gentilhomme  il  peut  combattre  selon  I'ancienne 
coustume  arme  de  cuir  bouilly. 

This  evidently  refers  to  the  regulations  laid  down  by  King  Rene  in 
1450,  and  suggests  that  by  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century  they  had 
become  obsolete  and  that  full  plate  armour  was  the  only  equipment  for 
the  joust  or  tourney. 

1500.  Inv.  de  Francois  ler.  de  Luxembourg^  p.  6. 

Plusiers  bardes  de  chevaux  de  cuyr  de  cartes  ou  cartons. 

The  last-named  materials  were  obviously  only  employed  for  parade 
or  masque.  They  would  be  early  forms  of  papier-mache,  but  were 
probably  more  like  the  modern  cardboard  than  the  hard  papier-mache 
now  in  use. 

1559,  Notes  sur  Dioscoride,  II,  chap.  21,  Matthee. 

Le  cheval  marin  une  beste  du  Nil  [the  hippopotamus]  de  la  peau 
Ton  en  fait  des  ecus,  animes  et  rondelles  ;  aussi  n'y  ha  il  armes 
ny  poinctures  quelles  qu'elles  soyent  qui  la  puissent  transpercer, 
si  premierement  elle  n'est  baignee. 

This  entry  shows  clearly  that  even  the  hide  of  the  hippopotamus 
was  not  held  to  be  weapon-proof  till  it  had  been  soaked  (in  water  or 
oil).  One  of  these  leather  bards  exists  in  the  Armeria  Reale,  Turin, 
B,  2 .  It  is  catalogued  as  being  of  hippopotamus  hide.  A  crupper  of  cuir- 
bouilli  (VI,  89)  is  the  only  specimen  of  leather  armour  in  the  Tower. 

1630  (circ).  Hist,  of  London,  t.  26,  Pennant  (1790). 

Robert  Scot  .  .  .  was  the  inventor  of  leather  artillery  which  he 
introduced  into  the  army  of  Gustvus  Adolphus. 

1644.  Military  Memoirs  of  the  Great  Civil  War,  p.  ^2,  Gwynne. 

At  Crobredery  Bridge  (Cropredy)  we  overtook  Waller's  army  which 
we  engaged  and  beat,  took  Wemes  General  of  their  army  prisoner 
and  withal  took  his  leather  guns  which  provedserviceable  to  the  King. 

These  leather  guns  were  formed  of  a  cylinder  of  copper  round 
which  was  twisted  thick  hempen  cord  and  the  whole  enveloped  in  a 
leather  jacket.  An  example  which  is  traditionally  stated  to  be  one  of 
Scot's  guns  used  by  Gustavus  Adolphus,  is  exhibited  in  the  Rotunda 
Museum,  Woolwich  (II,  173).  The  dolphins  on  this  specimen  are 
fashioned  to  the  letter  "  G "  placed  horizontally.  There  are  two 
similar  guns  in  the  Musee  d'Artillerie. 


THE  USE  OF  LEATHER 


103 


1678.  Traite  des  Armes^p.  55,  Gaya. 

Quoy  que  les  Bufles  ne  soient  proprement  que  les  habillemens  de 
Cavaliers,  nous  pouvons  neanmoins  les  mettre  au  nombre  de  leurs 
armes  deffensives,  plus  qu'ils  peuvent  aisement  resister  a  I'Epee 
lors  qu'ils  sont  d'une  peau  bien  choissie. 

Les  Bufles  .  ,  .  sont  faits  en  forme  de  Juste-au-corps  a  quatre 
basques  qui  descend  jusqu'aux  genoux. 

II  n'y  a  pas  un  Cavalier  dans  les  trouppes  de  France  qui  n'ait  un 
habillement  de  Bufle. 

The  buff  coat  of  leather  or  "  cuir  de  boeuf "  was  a  part  of  the 
miUtary  equipment  as  early  as  1585  and  was  in  common  use  during  the 
Civil  War.  It  was  worn  by  the  Life  Guards  at  the  Coronation  of  James  II 
in  1685  and  by  a  detachment  of  the  Artillery  Company  at  the  entry  of 
George  I  in  17 14.  It  ceased  to  be  worn  as  part  of  the  uniform  in  the 
following  reign. ^ 

1 591—5.  Instructions^  Observations  and  Orders  Militarie,  p.  185,  Sir  John  Smith. 

.  .  .  halbadiers  .  .  .  armed  with  burganets  and  with  short  skirted 
Jerkins  of  buffe  with  a  double  buffe  on  their  breasts  and  the  sleeves 
of  their  doublets  with  stripes  of  maile  or  serecloth  aforesaide. 

Here  we  find  a  return  to  the  primitive  defence  of  the  eleventh 
century,  due  to  the  increased  weight  of  armour  which  was  necessary 
against  the  improved  firearms  which  were  by  this  time  a  serious  factor 
in  war.  The  serecloth  recommended  was  probably  a  stout  waxed  or 
oiled  canvas.  In  recommending  sleeves  of  mail,  which  are  shown  on 
Plate  XVIII,  Sir  John  Smith  considers  that  they  are  more  convenient  for 
the  handling  of  the  halberdier's  weapon  than  the  more  rigid  brassards 
worn  by  the  cavalry.  These  strips  of  chain  are  shown  on  one  of  the 
figures  painted  by  Memling  for  the  "  Chasse  of  S.  Ursula  "  at  Bruges, 
i486,  which  is  given  on  Fig.  24  of  this  work.  They  have  been  re- 
introduced as  shoulder-straps  for  heavy  cavalry  at  the  present  day. 

^  Cannon,  Historical  Records  of  the  Life  Guards,  p.  74- 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR 


THOUGH  perhaps  the  wearing  and  putting  on  of  armour  was 
not  directly  part  of  the  craft  of  the  armourer,  it  was  certainly 
a  part  of  his  duties  to  be  present  during  the  process  and  be 
ready  to  carry  out  any  small  alterations  which  might  be  needed  on 
the  spot. 

As  has  been  noticed  in  a  preceding  chapter,  as  late  as  1625  we 
find  this  insisted  upon  by  de  Pluvinel  (see  page  115).  Shakespeare 
describes  the  armourers  as  busy  "accomplishing  the  knights"  before 
Agincourt  (page  33),  and  the  fact  that  the  travelling  knight  took  his 
armourer  with  him  shows  that  he  was  indispensable  during  the  opera- 
tion of  dressing  for  war  or  joust. 

Armour  of  the  best  kind  was  made  to  measure,  and  for  ordinary 
purposes  a  mould  or  "dobble"  was  kept  on  which  to  make  the  ordinary 
harness  for  the  man-at-arms  (page  28).  The  following  extracts  show 
the  methods  employed  for  sending  measurements,  which  were  often 
obtained  by  submitting  the  clothes  of  the  patron  to  the  armourer  :  — 

1406.  In  the  will  of  Sir  Ralph  Bulmer,  "  armatura  mea  corpori  talliata."^ 

1470.  Archives  de  Bruxelles^ 

Baltazar  du  Cornet,  armourer  at  Bruges,  delivers  for  the  Duke 
of  Burgundy  "2  cuiraches  complettes  faites  a  la  mesure  de  Mon- 
seigneur." 

Lazarus  de  St.  Augustin  delivers  "un  harnais  complet  fait  naguere 
a  la  mesure  de  Monseigneur  et  pour  son  corps." 

1512.  A  jacket  and  hose  of  Prince  Charles  (afterwards  Charles  V)  are  sent 
to  Conrad  Seusenhofer,^ 

1520.  Brit.  Mus.,  Galig.  £),  VIII,  181. 

16  March.  Francis  I  asks  for  an  "arming  doublet  "  of  Henry  VIII 
that  he  may  have  made  a  new  kind  of  cuirass  which  he  will  send 
him  as  a  present. 

^  Arch.  Jourti,,  LX.  ^  _/lrchives  de  Bruxelles,  Cat.  Mus.  Porte  de  Hal,  1 885. 

^  Jahrbuch  des  Kunsthist.  Sammlutigeti,  II,  1 03 2. 

104 


PLATE  XXVI II 


ARMOUR  OF  SIR  JOHN  SMITH.   I'.V  JACOl!  TOI'K 


■i 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR  105 


1564.  S.P.D.  Elizabeth^  Jan.  30. 

Warrant  to  the  Master  of  the  Armoury.  To  cause  to  be  made  one 
armour  complete  fit  for  the  body  of  our  well  beloved  servant 
Christopher  Hatton,  one  of  our  Gentlemen  Pensioners,  he  paying 
according  to  the  just  value  thereof. 

1667.  Verney  Memoirs,  IF,  301.    Rich.  Hals  to  Edmond  Verney. 

The  armour  fits  w^ell  enough  only  the  man  did  cut  away  to 
much  just  under  the  arme  pit  both  of  back  and  breast,  but  for  the 
head  piece  it  is  something  heavy,  yet  I  think  it  well  enough  if  it 
did  not  come  downe  so  low  upon  my  forhead  as  to  cover  all  my 
eyes  and  offend  my  nose  when  I  put  my  head  backwards  to  look 
upwards. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  some  notice  was  taken  of  the  part  which 
the  Hnen  armourer  played  in  the  equipment  of  the  armed  man,  and 
it  was  to  him  that  the  clothing  which  was  worn  under  the  armour  was 
entrusted.  Under  the  heading  of  the  "Cleaning  of  Armour"  mention 
has  been  made  of  Chaucer's  knight 
whose  "gipoun"  was  "  besmoturyd 


with  his  haub( 


)ergeon,  but  this  gar- 
ment was  an  outer  garment  or  surcoat. 
In  the  age  of  plate  armour  a  complete 

dress  was  worn  for  legs,  arms,  body,    Fig.  51.  stripping  the  dead  (Bayeux  Tapestry). 

and  head  to  prevent  the  chafing  of  the  armour,  which  in  spite  of  its 
own  lining  of  silk,  velvet,  cloth,  leather,  or  other  fabric  would  cause 

grave  inconvenience,  if  not  danger  to 
the  wearer.  Besides  this  reason  there 
was  also  a  question  of  warmth,  which 
was  of  importance,  for  in  long  marches 
and  expeditions  there  was  no  warmth 
in  a  suit  of  plate,  in  fact  there  was  an 
added  cold  which  had  to  be  counter- 
acted by  warm  garments  worn  under- 
neath. 

In  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  cen- 
turies we  have  not  much  in  the  way  of  documentary  evidence  which  will 
helplus  as  to  the  clothes  worn  under  the  armour.    The  Bayeux  Tapestry 
shows  us  the  wounded  and  dead  being  stripped  of  their  hauberks,  under 
H 


Fig.  52.  Knight  arming  (from  Livre  des  Nobles 
FemmeSy  Bib.  Nat.,  Paris, fourteenth  century). 


106        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


which  nothing  was  apparently  worn  (Fig.  51).  It  should  be  remembered, 
however,  that  these  hauberks  were  probably  of  quilted  fabric,  which 
therefore  did  not  gall  the  body  of  the  wearer.  The  drawing  from  a 
fourteenth-century  manuscript  on  Fig.  5  2  gives  some  hint  at  the  arming- 
doublet,  which  will  be  noted  farther  on  in  this  chapter, 
and  shows  also  the  laces  or  points  that  held  up  the 
hose.  Towards  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century, 
however,  we  find  on  the  incised  brasses,  which  are  such 
valuable  records  of  the  military  equipment  of  the  period, 
very  distinct  garments  represented.  On  the  brass  to 
Sir  John  de  Creke  at  Westley  Waterless,  Cambs,  1325, 
we  see  the  "cyclas"  or  outer  surcoat,  the  "upper  pour- 
point,"  of  fabric,  studded  with  metal,  "  the  hauberk," 
and  under  all  the  "haketon"  or  "gambeson"  (Fig.  53). 
According  to  William  de  Guilleville,  in  the  Pelerinage 
de  r^me^writttn  in  the  fourteenth  century,  the  "pour- 
point  "  was  so  called  because  of  its  quiltings  : — 

De  pontures  de  gambison 
Pourquoi  pourpoint  I'appelle-t-on. 

The  gambeson  continued  in  use  up  to  the  seventeenth 
century  under  the  name  of  "arming-doublet,"  with  but 
little  change  except  in  shape  and  form,  as  the  style  of 
armour  required.  Of  the  undergarments  of  the  early 
fifteenth  century  we  have  little  or  nothing  to  guide  us, 
and  we  are  often  at  a  loss  to  know  even  what  armour 
was  worn  under  the  tight-fitting,  small-waisted  jupon 
or  surcoat  which  distinguishes  the  end  of  the  fourteenth 
and  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century.  We  have, 
however,  a  valuable  record  under  this  head  in  the 
monument  at  Ash,  which  shows  "splinted  armour"  of 
lames  worn  instead  of  a  cuirass. 

The  illustration  on  Plate  IV  is  from  a  wood- 
church  of  S.  William,  Strasburg.    It  represents  the 


8  — 


Fig.  53.  Brass  of  Sir 
John  de  Creke, 
Westley  Waterless, 
Cambs,  1325, 

1.  Ba^cinet. 

2.  Vervelles  and  camail. 

3.  Cyclas  or  surcoat. 

4.  Upper  pourpoint. 

5.  Hauberk. 

6.  Gambeson  or  haketon. 

7.  Poleynes. 

8.  Beiribergs  or  jambs. 


carving  in  the 

travelling  armourer  riveting  what  appear  to  be  bands  of  iron  on  arms 
and  legs.  Whether  these  are  some  contrivance  used  in  arming  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  or  whether  they  are  some  instrument  of  torture  used 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR  io7 


upon  the  saint,  Duke  William  of  Acquitaine,  it  is  impossible  to  discover, 
as  no  other  instances  of  the  kind  can  be  found. 

For  full  details  of  the  equipment  of  the  latter  half  of  the  fifteenth 
century  we  cannot  do  better  than  refer  to  the  Hastings  MS.  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  which  has  been  discussed  by  the  late  Albert  Way,^  and 
more  fully  by  Viscount  Dillon.^  Under  the  heading  of  ''The  Abilment 
for  the  Justes  of  Pees  "  we  find  much  that  is  of  value  in  this  respect.  On 
page  \2  2b  of  the  manuscript  we  find  the  following  minute  directions 
for  dressing  a  man  for  the  joust,  which  should  be  compared  with  those 
given  in  Appendix  C,  page  173. 

How  a  man  schall  be  armyd  at  his  ese  when  he  schal  fighte 
on  foote  : 

He  schal  have  noo  schirte  up  on  him  but  a  dowbelet  of  ffustean 
lyned  with  satene  cutte  full  of  hoolis.  the  dowbelet  must  be 
strongeli  boude  there  the  pointis  muste  be  sette  aboute  the  greet 
[bend]  of  the  arm.  and  the  b  ste  \sic\  before  and  behynde  and  the 
gussetis  of  mayle  muste  be  sowid  un  to  the  dowbelet  in  the  bought 
of  the  arme.  and  undir  the  arme  the  armynge  poyntis  muste  ba 
made  of  fyne  twyne  suche  as  men  make  stryngys  for  crossebowes 
and  they  muste  be  trussid  small  and  poyntid  as  poyntis.  Also  they 
muste  be  wexid  with  cordeweneris  coode.  and  than  they  will 
neyther  recche  nor  breke  Also  a  payr  hosyn  of  stamyn  sengill 
and  a  payre  of  shorte  bulwerkis  of  thynne  blanket  to  put  aboute 
his  kneys  for  chawfynge  of  his  lighernes  Also  a  payre  of  shone 
of  thikke  Cordwene  and  they  muste  be  frette  with  smal  whipcorde 
thre  knottis  up  on  a  corde  and  thre  cordis  muste  be  faste  swoid 
on  to  the  hele  of  the  shoo  and  fyne  cordis  in  the  mydill  of  the 
soole  of  the  same  shoo  and  that  ther  be  betwene  the  frettis  of  the 
hele  and  the  frettis  of  the  mydill  of  the  shoo  the  space  of  three 
fvngris. 

To  arme  a  man 

fiirste  ye  muste  sette  on  Sabatones  and  tye  them  up  on  the  shoo 
with  smale  poyntes  that  wol  breke  And  then  griffus  [greaves]  & 
then  quisses  &  he  the  breeche  of  mayle    And  the  tonletis  And 

^  Arch.  Journ.,  IV,  ^  Archaologia,  LVII. 


108        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


the  brest  And  he  vambras  And  he  rerebras  And  then  glovys 
And  then  hange  his  daggere  upon  his  right  side  And  then  his 
shorte  swered  upon  the  lyfte  side  in  a  rounde  rynge  all  nakid  to 
pull  it  oute  lightlie.  And  then  putte  his  cote  upon  his  back  And 
then  his  basinet  pynid  up  on  two  greet  staplis  before  the  breste 
with  a  dowbill  bokill  behynde  up  on  the  bak  for  to  make  the 
bassinet  sitte  juste.  And  then  his  long  swerde  in  his  hande.  And 
then  his  pensil  in  his  hande  peyntid  of  seynt  George  or  of  oure 
lady  to  blesse  him  with  as  he  goeth  towards  the  felde  and  in  the 
felde. 

From  the  above  extract  it  will  be  seen  that  the  undergarments  con- 
sisted of  a  thick  doublet  lined  with  silk,  but  with  no  shirt  underneath ; 
the  reason  for  this  being  one  that  we  at  the  present  day  can  well  appre- 
ciate, for  when  the  body  is  hot  from  exertion  and  exercise  a  shirt  is  apt 


Fig.  54.  Arming-points  (from  the  portrait 
of  a  Navigator,  Ashmolean  Mus., 
Oxford). 


Fig.  55.  Attachment  of 
brassard  by  points  (from 
the  portrait  of  the  Due  de 
Nevers,  Hampton  Court). 


to  ruck  up,"  and  it  would  be  impossible  to  readjust  it  when  fully 
armed.  In  the  Pas  ton  Letters  we  have  the  following  request  from 
Edward  IV  : — 

Item  I  praye  you  to  send  me  a  newe  vestmente  off  whyght  damaske 
ffor  a  Dekyn,  whyche  is  among  myn  other  geer,  I  will  make  an  armyng 
Doublet  off  it. 


ARMET,  MIDDI.K  OF  XVI  CENT. 


AKMET  ENCKAVKI)  AM)  CILT,  END  OF  XVI  CENT. 


PARADE  CASQUE,  AFTER  NEGROI.I, 
MIDDLE  OF  XVI  CENT. 


SALLAD  BY  ONE  OF  THE  NECROLIS,  END  OF  XV  CENT. 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR  io9 


Fig 


^6.  Moton  at- 
tached by  points 
(from  Had.  MS. 
4826). 


The  gussets  and,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  the  sleeves 
of  mail  protected  the  bend  of  the  arm  and  armpit,  and 
sometimes  the  bend  of  the  knee,  which  were  not 
adequately  covered  with  plate.  The  two  portraits  of 
unknown  noblemen  by  Moroni  (National  Gallery)  show 
these  details  of  the  equipment  very  clearly  (Plate  XVIII). 
The  arming-points  or  "  tresses  "  were  used  in  civilian  as 
well  as  in  military  attire  and  joined  the  hose  to  the 
doublet,  laced  sleeves,  and  held  coats  together,  much  as 
laces  are  used  in  ladies'  dresses  at  the  present  day  (Figs. 
54—57).  They  are  also  shown  tying  up  the  hose  on 
Fig.  52  and  the  brayette  on  Plate  VIII. 

Lord  Dillon  explains  the  hose  of  "  stamyn  sengill "  as 
being  a  worsted  cloth  made  in  Norfolk.  The  "  bulwerkis" 
were  pads  of  blanketing  fastened  over  the  hose  at  the  knees 
to  prevent  the  chafing  of  the  knee-cop,  and  the  shoes  were 
of  Cordova  leather  fastened  with  laces.  A  complete  under- 
dress  of  this  kind,  with  quilted  doublet  and  hose  with 
gussets  of  mail  at  the  knees,  is  to  be  found  in  the  Museum 
at  Munich.  The  arming  of  a  man  began  at  the  feet,  and 
as  far  as  was  possible  each  piece  put  on  overlapped  that 
beneath  it,  to  ensure  that  glancing  surface  upon  the  utility 
of  which  such  stress  has  been  laid  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  book. 

The  arming  of  a  man,  therefore,  was  carried  out  in  the  following 
order  and  his  equipment  put  on  in  the  following  order  :  Sollerets  or 
sabatons,  jambs,  knee-cops,  cuisses,  skirt  of  mail,  gorget,  breast  and 
back  plates,  brassards  with  elbow-cops,  pauldrons,  gauntlets,  sword- 
belt,  and  helmet  (Fig.  58). 

The  "  tonlet "  would  appear  to  be  a  bell-shaped  skirt  of  plate  or 
deep  taces  such  as  is  shown  on  Plate  XXI,  and  is  another  example  of 
the  use  of  the  glancing  surface,"  especially  in  combats  with  axe  and 
sword  at  barriers,  for  in  these  jousts  the  legs  were  often  unarmed  and  were 
not  attacked.  The  rerebrace,  elbow-cop,  and  vambrace  are  usually 
joined  by  rivets  in  which  there  is  a  certain  amount  of  play.  Where 
this  was  not  the  case,  each  piece  was  separately  strapped  to  the  arm,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  brasses  of  Sir  John  de  Creke,  1325  (Fig.  53),  and 


Fig.  57.  Arming- 
points  on  the 
foot  (from  the 
picture  of  S. 
Demetrius,  by 
Ortolano,  Nat. 
Gall.). 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Fig.  58.    Sixteenth-century  Suit  of  Plate. 


English 

scull 
visor 
ventail 

bevor 

crest 

plume-holder 

nape-guard 
gorget 
spring-pin 
neck-guard 
pauldron 
rerebrace 
lance-rest 
rondel  or 
besague 


French 

timbre 

visiere 

ventail 
f  baviere 
\  mentonniere 

Crete 
f  porte-plume 
\  porte-panache 

couvre-nuque 

colletin 

piton  a  ressort 

garde-collet 

epauliere 

arri^re-bras 

faucre 

>  rondelle 


German 

scheitelstiick 

visier 

schembart 

kinrefF 

kamm 


nackenschirm 

kragen 

federzapfen 

brechr'ander 

achseln 

oberarnizeug 

riisthaken 

achselhohlscheibe 


Italian 

coppo 
visiera 
ventaglio 

baviera 

cresta 

pennachiera 

gronda 
goletta 

guarda-goletta 
spallaccio 
bracciali 
resta 

rotellino  da 
bracciale 


Spanish 

calva 
vista 
ventalle 

barbote 

cresteria 

penacho 

cubrenuca 
gorjal 

bufeta 

guardabrazo 
brazali 

restra  de  mue 
luneta 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR 


15- 
i6. 

17- 

i8. 

19. 
20, 
21, 
22. 

23' 

24, 

25' 

26, 

27' 

28. 
29. 


English  French 


German 

brust 
riicken 

armkashein 

unterarmzeug 
handschuhe 
bauchreisen 
gesassreifen 

{stahlmaschen- 
unterschutz 
beintaschen 
oberdieclilinge 
unterdiechlinge 
kniebuckel 

beinrohen 
schuhe 


Italian 

petto 
schiena 

cubitiera 

bracciali 
niittene 
panziera 
falda 

braghetta 

fiancale 
cosciali 
j> 

ginocchielli 
gambiera 

scarpe 


111 

Spanish 

peto 
dos 

codales 

brazali 
manopla 
faldaje 
»» 

escarcela 
quijotes 
» 

guarda  o  rodillera 
greba 

escarpe 


breast  plastron 

back  dossiere 

elbow-cop  or  I       .  v 
J  >  coudiere 

coude  ) 

vambrace  avant-bras 

gauntlet  gantelet 

taces  bracconiere 

loin-guard  garde-reins 

fald  or  skirt 


I  brayette 


of  mail 

tasset  tassette 

upper  cuishe  cuissard 

cuishe  „ 

knee-cop  genouill^re 

iamb  or        1  •     1 -  v  a 

}  lambiere,  grave 
greave       J  ° 

solleret  or     1  , 

,  ,  >  soleret 

sabbaton  J 

fan-plate  ailerons 


of  Sir  Hugh  Hastings,  1347.  When  the  three  pieces,  called  collec- 
tively the  Brassard,  were  joined  together,  they  were  kept  in  place  on 
the  arm  by  arming-points  fastened  to  the  "  haustement "  or  doublet 
just  below  the  shoulder.  The  operation  of  tying  on  the  brassard  is 
shown  on  the  portrait  now  labelled  the  "Due  de  Nevers"  at  Hampton 
Court  (Fig.  55).  In  the  list  of  the  equipment  taken  by  the  Earl  of 
Northumberland  to  France  in  1513^  we  find  mention  of  arming- 
pateletts  of  white  satin  quilted,  for  wearing  under  the  armour,  trussing- 
bolsters  to  wear  round  the  waist  to  keep  the  weight  of  the  cuirass  from 
the  shoulders,  arming-hose,  arming-doublets,  arming- shoes,  garters  to 
wear  under  the  armour,  and  coffers  in  which  to  keep  the  armour. 

There  is  no  mention  of  the  pauldron  in  the  Hastings  MS.,  but 
when  this  was  worn  it  was  strapped  to  the  neck-opening  of  the  cuirass 
or  hung  from  spring-pins  which  project  from  the  shoulder-plate  of  the 
cuirass. 

The  staples  mentioned  in  the  Hastings  MS.  are  often  very  elaborate 
contrivances,  especially  in  jousting-armour,  and  the  foremost  fastening 
was  called  the  "  charnel."  Fig.  59  shows  the  methods  of  attaching 
jousting-helms  to  the  cuirass.  No.  i  shows  the  adjustable  plate  which 
fixes  the  front  of  the  helm  of  the  suit  of  Philip  II  (Madrid,  A,  16). 
A  similar  contrivance  was  used  with  the  ''Brocas"  helm  (Fig.  12). 
No.  2  is  the  front  of  a  helm  (Mus.  d'Art,  Paris,  G,  163)  in  which 

^  Antiquarian  Repertory,  IV, 


112 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Fig.  59.    Attachment  of  jousting-helms  to  the  cuirass. 

the  lower  plate  is  bolted  to  the  breast  and  can  be  released  from 
the  helm  by  withdrawing  the  hinge-pin.  No.  3  shows  the  back 
of  the  same  helm.  Fig.  60  is  a  larger  sketch  of  the  fixing- 
hook  of  this  helm.  A  is  the  back-plate  of  the  helm,  E  the 
pillar  hinged  at  D  and  hooked  into  a  lug  on  the  back  of  the 
cuirass.  B  is  a  solid  block  of  steel  of  circular  section  pierced 
with  holes  and  connected  to  a  screw  in  E.  B  can  be  turned 
by  inserting  a  pin  in  the  holes  and  the  screw  tightened  or 
loosened.  Minute  details  as  to  the  fastenings  of  the  helm  will 
be  found  in  Appendix  D,  page  178. 

It  can  therefore  be  easily  imagined  that  the  work  of  arming 
a  man  was  a  serious  business,  and  it  was  necessary  that  the 
armourer  or  an  expert  assistant  should  be  present  in  case  some 
portion  of  the  suit  or  its  fastenings  gave  way. 

Details  of  the  different  parts  that  went  to  make  up  the  complete 
suit,  with  the  thickness  of  each  plate,  the  laces  or  points,  and  various 
fastenings  and  methods  of  attachment,  will  be  found  in  the  fifteenth- 
century  Treatise  on  Military  Costume  of  which  a  portion  is  given  in 
Appendix  D. 


Fig.  60. 
Side  view 
of  attach- 
ment on 
Fig:-  59.3- 


ARMOUR  OF  THE  MIDDLE  XV  CENT. 


ARMOUR  OF  FRIEDRICH  DES  SlEdKEICHEN, 
BY  TOMASO  DA  MISSAGLIA,  IWO 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR 


The  Marquis  de  Belleval  published  an  interesting  monograph  on 
this  manuscript  in  1866,  which  is  now  scarce  and  difficult  to  obtain. 

In  the  illustration  on  Plate  XVII  the  squires  are  shown  arming  their 
masters  from  horseback,  which  appears  to  involve  some  gymnastic 
exercises. 

That  such  agility  of  the  armed  man  was  by  no  means  an  artistic 
licence  we  may  gather  from  the  fact  that  Froissart^  mentions  Sir  John 
Assueton  leaping  fully  armed  behind  his  page  on  to  his  war-horse. 
Again,  Shakespeare  makes  Henry  V  (Act  V,  Sc.  2)  say,  "  If  I  could  win 
a  lady  at  leapfrog  or  by  vaulting  into  my  saddle  with  my  armour  on  my 
back,"  and  Oliver  de  la  Marche  states  that  Galliot  de  Balthasin  in  1446 
leaped  fully  armed  out  of  the  saddle  as  though  he 
had  on  a  pourpoint  only.  That  this  was  no  mere 
figure  of  speech  we  may  judge  from  a  little  book 
entitled  The  Vaulting  Master^  written  by  W.  Stokes, 
an  Oxford  riding-master,  in  1641. 

In  the  preface  he  writes  :  "In  war  the  nimble 
avoydance  of  a  man's  horse  if  wounded  or  killed 
under  him,  and  in  like  manner  the  ready  ascent  into 
his  enemies  saddle  if  it  be  his  hap  to  unhorse  him, 
and  much  more  which  the  experienced  souldier 
shall  find." 

There  is  an  engraving  on  Plate  I  of  the  work 

showing  a  cuirassier  in  half-armour  about  to  vault 

into  the  saddle  without  stirrups.    Stokes  occasionally  breaks  out  into 

verse  as  follows  : — 

Here's  that  will  make  a  stubborne  armour  weare 
Gentle  as  Persian  silks  and  light  as  air, 

which  refers  to  the  ease  of  mounting  which  his  prescribed  exercises 
ensured. 

On  the  subject  of  the  wearing  of  armour  we  have  much  valuable 
information  from  the  works  of  the  great  military  reformer  of  the  six- 
teenth century.  Sir  John  Smith,  who,  as  has  been  stated  previously, 
suffered  imprisonment  for  his  opinions.  In  his  Instructions  a?td  Obser- 
vations and  Orders  Militaries  1 591—5,  he  writes  : — 


Fig.  61.  Armourer  in  the 
lists  (Heralds' Coll.,  MS. 
M,  6,  f.  56). 


^  Johnes'  edition,  I,  449. 


15 


114        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 

Page  183.  "  No  man  can  be  conveniently  armed  unlesse  he 
be  first  fitly  apparelled."  He  states  that  at  Tilbury  he  saw  "  but 
very  few  of  that  army  that  had  any  convenience  of  apparel  and 
chieflie  of  doublets  to  arme  upon,  whereof  it  came  to  passe  that 
the  most  of  them  did  weare  their  armors  verie  uncomelie  and  un- 
easilie.  .  .  .  But  because  the  collars  of  their  armours  doe  beare 
the  chief  waight  of  all  the  rest  of  the  armour,  I  would  wish  that 
the  souldiers  .  .  .  should  have  under  Collars  of  Fustian  conveni- 
entlie  bombasted  to  defende  the  heveth  weight,  and  poise  of  their 
armours  from  the  paining  or  hurting  of  their  shouldiers." 

On  page  193  he  writes  :  "  Also  I  would  have  them  to  have 
pouldrons  of  a  good  compasse  and  size,  and  vambraces  both 
joined  together,  and  not  asunder,  because  that  the  poise  of  the 
pouldrons  and  vambraces,  hanging  upon  the  pinnes  and  springes 
of  their  collars,  they  doe  not  weigh  so  much,  nor  are  not  so 
wearisome  as  when  they  are  separated  ;  and  that  they  weare  their 
vambraces  tied  with  points  to  their  doublets  under  their  pouldrons." 
Here  the  author,  who  was  pre-eminently  a  practical  soldier,  saw  the 
discomfort  and  inconvenience  caused  by  the  drag  of  the  arming- 
point  on  the  sleeve  and  wisely  considered  that  the  whole  arm- 
defence  should  hang  from  a  pin  or  strap  from  the  gorget  or  cuirass, 
so  that  the  weight  might  be  on  the  shoulders  and  not  on  the 
arms. 

The  armour  for  the  joust  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries 
was  far  too  heavy  to  allow  of  such  vagaries.  Pluvinel  in  his  Maneige 
Royale^  1625,  gives  an  imaginary  conversation  between  himself  and 
the  King  which  bears  upon  the  subject  : — 

The  King. 

It  seems  to  me  that  such  a  man  would  have  difficulty  in 
getting  on  his  horse  and  being  on  to  help  himself. 

Pluvinel. 

It  would  be  very  difficult,  but  with  this  armament  the  case  has 
been  provided  for.    In  this  way,  at  triumphs  and  tourneys  where 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR  ns 


lances  are  broken,  there  must  be  at  the  two  ends  of  the  lists  a 
small  scaffold  the  height  of  the  stirrup,  on  which  two  or  three 
persons  can  stand  ;  that  is  to  say,  the  rider,  an  armourer  to  arm 
him,  and  one  other  to  help  him,  as  it  is  necessary  in  these  danger- 
ous encounters  that  an  armourer  should  always  be  at  hand  and 
that  all  should  be  ready.  Then  the  rider  being  armed,  and  the 
horse  brought  near  to  the  stand,  he  easily  mounts  him  ...  for 
this  reason  the  horses  must  be  steady. 

A  little  pen-drawing  of  the  sixteenth  century  in  a  manuscript  dealing 
with  jousts  (Heralds'  Coll.,  M,  6,  56)  shows  the  armourer  on  one  of 
these  scaffolds  at  the  end  of  the  lists  (Fig.  61). 

In  the  chapter  on  the  Proving  of  Armour  the  question  of  disuse  on 
account  of  weight  was  considered.  From  the  sixteenth  century  and 
even  earlier  we  have  records  of  the  discarding  of  armour  because  it 
hampered  the  wearer  or  for  some  equally  cogent  reason.  The  follow- 
ing extracts  bear  upon  the  subject  : — 

1383.  Chroniques  de  Dugesclin,  line  5973  (edit.  1839). 

Leurs  cuissieres  osterent  tres  tous  communement 
Par  coi  aler  peussent  trop  plus  legierement. 

This  refers  to  the  action  of  Sir  Hugh  Calverly  at  the  battle  of  Mont 
Auray,  who  ordered  his  men  to  take  off  their  cuisses  in  order  to  move 
more  easily. 

1590.  Discourses^  p.  4,  Sir  John  Smith. 

But  that  which  is  more  strange,  these  our  such  new  fantasied 
men  of  warre  doe  despise  and  scorne  our  auncient  arming  of  our- 
selves both  on  horseback  and  on  foote  saying  that  wee  armed  our- 
selves in  times  past  with  too  much  armour,  or  peces  of  yron  as  they 
terme  it.  And  therefore  their  footmen  piquers  they  doo  allow  for 
verie  well  armed  when  they  weare  their  burganets,  their  collars, 
their  cuirasses,  and  their  backs,  without  either  pouldrons,  vambraces, 
gauntlets  or  tasses. 

Sir  John  Smith  goes  on  to  say  that  it  was  the  discarding  of  his 
cuisses  that  cost  Sir  Philip  Sidney  his  life,  for  he  received  a  wound 
from  a  spent  bullet  which  his  armour  might  have  deflected. 


116        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


1 619.  The  Art  of  Warre^  Edward  Davies. 

[the  arquebusiers  were  loaded]  with  a  heavie  shirt  of  male  and  a 
burganet,  by  the  time  they  have  marched  in  the  heat  of  summer 
or  deepe  of  winter  ten  or  twelve  English  miles  they  are  more  apt 
to  rest  than  readie  to  fight. 

1625.  Souldiers*  Accidence^  Markham. 

As  for  the  pouldron  or  the  vant-brace  they  must  be  spared  because 
they  are  but  cumbersome. 

Against  these  extracts  we  must  place  the  opinions  of  military  leaders 
who  deplored  the  disuse  of  armour  : — 

1632.  Milifarie  Instructions  for  the  Cavallrie^  Cruso. 

Captain  Bingham  in  his  Low  Countrie  exercise  appointeth  him 
[the  harquebusier]  a  cuirass  pistoU  proofe  which  condemneth  the  late 
practice  of  our  trained  Harquebusiers  to  be  erroneous  which  have 
wholly  left  off  their  arms  and  think  themselves  safe  enough  in  a 
calf's  skin  coat. 

1756.  Reveries^  Marshal  Maurice  of  Saxe,  p.  56. 

Je  ne  sais  pourquoi  on  a  quitte  les  Armures,  car  rien  n'est  si  beau 
ni  si  avantageux.  L'on  dira  peut-etre  que  c'est  I'usage  de  la  poudre 
qui*  les  a  abolis  ;  mais  point  du  tout  car  du  tems  de  Henri  IV.  et 
depuis  jusq'en  I'annee  1667  on  en  a  porter,  et  il  y  avoit  deja  bien 
longtems  que  la  poudre  etoit  en  usage  :  mais  vous  verrez  que  c'est 
la  chere  commodite  qui  les  a  fait  quitter. 

Marshal  Saxe  further  suggests  that  the  large  proportion  of  wounds 
are  received  from  sword,  lance,  or  spent  bullet,  and  that  all  these  might 
be  guarded  against  by  wearing  armour  or  a  bufF  coat  of  his  own  inven- 
tion which  when  reinforced  with  steel  plates  weighed  30  lb. 


THE  WEIGHT  OF  ARMOUR 

We  have  but  few  records  in  contemporary  documents  of  the  actual 
weight  of  the  different  parts  of  the  suit  of  armour,  but  we  can  obtain 
these  from  examples  of  the  sixteenth  century  onwards  from  specimens 
in  the  different  museums  and  collections. 


DESIGNS  FOR  ARMOUR  BY  AI.MERT  DURER,  l.HT 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR  ii7 


That  armour  had  become  burdensome  in  the  extreme  owing  to  the 
necessity  of  subjecting  it  to  pistol  and  musket  proof  we  know  from 
various  writers  on  the  subject. 

La  None  in  his  Discours  Politiques  et  Militaires^  translated  by 
"  E.  A."  1587,  writes  on  page  185  :  For  where  they  had  some  reason 
in  respect  of  the  violence  of  harquebuzes  and  dagges  [muskets  and 
pistols]  to  make  their  armor  thicker  and  of  better  proofe  than  before, 
they  have  now  so  farre  exceeded,  that  most  of  the  have  laden  themselves 
with  stithies  [anvils]  in  view  of  clothing  their  bodies  with  armour  .  .  . 
neither  was  their  armour  so  heavie  but  that  they  might  wel  bear  it  24 
hours,  where  those  that  are  now  worne  are  so  waightie  that  the  peiz 
[weight]  of  them  will  benumme  a  Gentleman's  shoulders  of  35  yeres 
of  age." 

On  page  196  of  Sir  John  Smith's  Instructions^  Observatmts^  and 
Orders  Militaries  the  author  strongly  objects  to  the  discarding  of  the 
arm  and  leg  defences  which  was  advised  by  other  authorities.  He  insists 
that  these  limbs  are  as  important  as  the  "breste,  belly,  and  backe,"  and 
should  be  adequately  protected.  His  opinions  are  also  held  by  Marshal 
Maurice  of  Saxe  in  his  Reveries^  quoted  above. 

Edward  Ludlow,  at  the  battle  of  Edgehill,  1642,^  was  dismounted 
in  getting  through  a  hedge,  and  says :  I  could  not  without  great  diffi- 
culty recover  on  horse-back  again  being  loaded  with  cuirassiers  arms 
as  the  rest  of  the  guard  were  also." 

It  would  be  superfluous  to  mention  the  different  occasions  on  which 
unhorsed  knights  were  captured  or  killed  through  their  inability  to 
remount  in  battle.  Froissart  in  describing  the  battle  of  Poitiers  says 
that  when  once  dismounted  men  could  not  get  up  again,  and  other 
historians  bear  equal  witness  of  the  disadvantage  of  armour  when  un- 
mounted ;  and  the  Sieur  de  Gaya,  who  has  been  so  often  referred  to  in 
these  pages,  writing  in  1678,  says  in  his  Traite  des  Armes^  P^g^  60: 
"  lis  n'avoient  trop  de  tort  a  mon  avis  d'equiper  ainsi  leurs  chevaux  parce 
qu'un  Cavalier  arme  n'est  plus  propre  a  rien  quand  il  est  demonte." 

Although  this  may  be  taken  as  a  reason  put  forward  by  the  writer 
for  more  armour  for  man  and  horse,  it  shows  at  the  same  time  that  the 
fully  armed  man  was  considered  to  be  comparatively  useless  when  un- 

^  Ludlow's  Memoirs,  Firth,  I,  44. 


118        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


horsed,  as  the  Spanish  proverb  ran :  "  Muerto  el  Cavallo,  perdido  el 
hombre  d'armas." 

It  may  be  somewhat  of  a  surprise  to  learn  that  the  present-day 
equipment  is  but  little  lighter  than  that  of  the  fifteenth  century.  The 
Under  Secretary  for  War,  speaking  in  the  House  of  Commons  on 
November  28th,  191 1,  stated  that  the  infantry  soldier  marched  on  an 
average  thirty  miles  a  day  during  the  manoeuvres,  carrying  59  lb. 
II  oz.  of  equipment  and  kit.  Against  this  vi^e  may  place  the  w^eight 
of  some  suits  of  foot-soldiers'  armour  of  the  sixteenth  century,  which 
weigh  with  the  helmet  at  the  outside  25  lb. ;  leaving  therefore  a  wide 
margin  for  underclothes  and  weapons.  And  this  comparison  of  weight 
carried  is  even  more  interesting  when  considering  the  cavalry  equip- 
ment, as  will  be  seen  from  the  annexed  table  on  the  opposite  page. 

Of  course  all  these  figures  represent  "  dead  weight " ;  and  here  we 
are  brought  back  to  one  of  those  fundamental  rules  of  good  crafts- 
manship— the  recognition  of  "  Convenience  in  Use." 

Even  in  the  Golden  Age  of  armour,  the  fifteenth  century,  the 
armourer  was  hampered  by  material  and  by  methods  of  construction 
which  even  the  most  expert  craftsman  could  not  overcome;  but  when 
we  reach  the  period  of  decadence  in  the  seventeenth  century,  the 
excellence  of  craftsmanship  had  deteriorated  to  an  alarming  extent  and 
these  difiiculties  were  still  greater.  The  secret  therefore  of  the  weight- 
carrying  powers  of  man  and  horse  at  the  present  day  is  greater  con- 
venience in  carrying,  the  scientific  distribution  of  weight,  and  a  more 
adaptable  material,  which  when  taken  together  give  greater  freedom 
and  greater  mobility,  even  though  the  actual  weight  be  the  same  as 
the  equipment  of  steel. 

The  following  table  gives  the  weights  of  typical  suits  firom  the 
fifteenth  century  onwards: — 


THE  WEARING  OF  ARMOUR 


ARMOUR  FOR  THE  JOUST 

XV-XVI. — Helms  (English). 

Barendyne,  Great  Haseley,  Oxon 
Wallace  Collection,  No.  78 
Westminster  Abbey 
Brocas,  Rotunda,  Woolwich 
Dawtrey,  Petworth,  Sussex 
Captain  Lindsay,  Sutton  Courtenay,  Berks 
1518.      Madrid,  A,  37  . 

Suits. 

1520.      Tower,  II,  28,  for  fighting  on  foot 
1530  {circ).  Madrid,  A,  26  {  "^^^^^ '  ;  ; 

1590.      Tower,  II,  9,  man 

WAR  HARNESS 
1439.      Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris,  G,  I,  man  and  horse 

.5.4.      Tower,  II,  5  {  E;^,",,  ; 

1588.  Musee  d'Artillerie,  G,  80,  man 

1590.  Tower,  II,  I o 

1590.  Tower,  II,  12 

161 2.  Tower,  II,  18 


lb.  oz. 

13  8 

17  o 

17  12 

17  12 

21  8 

24  14 

41  9 


93 
79 

79 
103 


163  o 

^  13 

69  3 

92  6 

79  o 

55  8 

77  14 


CAVALRY 


1450 

1875 

1909 

G,  I,  Musee  d'Artillerie,  Paris. 
Man,  about  140  tb.                    .           .  \ 
Armour  for  man  and  horse,  163  lb}         .  V 
Arms,  clothes,  saddlery,  etc.,  about  ^0  lb.    ,  j 

333  lb. 

British  Household  Cavalry 

„     Heavy           „  ... 

,,  Medium  ,,  ... 
Light  ,,  ... 
German  Cuirassier          .           .           .  . 

tJte  aho-ve  are  Ser-vice  equipment,  including  rider  and  saddlery. 

308  lb. 
280  lb. 
266  lb. 

259  lb.2 

-  246  lb.3 

334  lb. 

INFANTRY 

1550 

1875 

19II 

106-8,  Rotunda,  Woolwich,  Maltese  Suits. 
Half-armour  and  helmet,  25        .           .       . "» 
Clothes  and  arms,  about  1$  lb.      .                  .  j 

40  lb. 

British  Infantry. 

Service  equipment,  including  arms 

52  lb.2 

Jglb.  iioz.* 

^  Catalogue  of  the  Museum. 

2  Sir  G.  P.  Colley,  K.s.i.,  Encyc.  Brit.,  1875. 


3  Col.  F.  N.  Maude,  Encyc.  Brit.,  1 91c 
*  Morning  Post,  December  9,  1911. 


THE  ARMOURERS'  COMPANY  OF  THE  CITY  OF  LONDON, 
ARMOURERS'  HALL,   COLEMAN  STREET,  E.C. 


A  T  the  present  day  this  Company  is  combined  with  that  of  the 
/-\  Braziers,  but  this  combination  only  dates  from  the  beginning 
^  ^  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  it  had  ceased  to  deal  with  the 
making  of  armour  and  was  more  concerned  with  other  branches  of  the 
craft  of  the  metal-worker.  The  objects  of  the  craft-gild  of  the 
armourers  were  the  same  as  all  those  of  like  nature  in  the  Middle  Ages. 

Members  were  protected  from  outside  piracy  of 
methods  and  trade-marks,  they  were  cared  for 
in  body  when  ill  or  incapable  of  working,  and 
in  soul  by  masses  and  religious  exercises. 

An  important  detail  in  the  organization  of 
these  craft-gilds  and  one  sadly  lacking  in  modern 
trade  combinations  was  the  examination  and 
approval  of  the  members'  work  by  the  gild- 
masters.  In  this  way  was  the  craftsman  en- 
couraged to  produce  good  work,  and  also  the 
purchaser  was  protected  against  inferior  work- 
manship. A  reference  to  the  Appendices  B,  K 
will  exemplify  this,  for  in  these  two  instances 
alone  we  find  that  careless  work  is  condemned 
by  the  Company.    In  the  document  of  the  reign 

Fig.  62.    Arms  of  the  Armourers'   of   Edward   II   it    is    nOtcd    that   "  old  baSCUtC 

Company  of  London.  brokcn  and  falsc  now  ncwly  covered  by  men 
that  nothing  understood  of  ye  mystery  wh.  be  put  in  pry  vie  places  and 
borne  out  into  ye  contrye  out  of  ye  said  Citye  to  sell  and  in  ye  same 
citie  of  wh.  men  may  not  gaine  knowledge  whether  they  be  good  or  ill 
of  ye  wh.  thinge  greate  yill  might  fall  to  ye  king  and  his  people." 

Again,  under  Charles  I,  in  the  appeal  of  the  Company  to  the 
Crown,  leave  to  use  the  mark  is  requested  "  because  divers  cutlers, 

120 


THE  ARMOURERS'  COMPANY,  LONDON  121 


smythes,  tynkers  &  other  botchers  of  arms  by  their  unskillfulness  have 
utterly  spoiled  many  armes,  armours,  &c." 

The  Company  seems  to  have  existed  during  the  reign  of  Edward  II, 
but  was  not  then  incorporated,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  docu- 
ment transcribed  in  Appendix  A,  there  is  but  little  evidence  of  their 
existence  before  the  date  of  31st  Henry  VI,  in  which  year  a  Charter  of 
Incorporation  was  granted.  This  deals  mostly  with  questions  relating 
to  religious  observances,  the  gild-chapel  and  like  matters.  A  report 
to  the  Court  of  Aldermen,  dated  20th  Eliz.  (1578),  as  to  right  of 
search  for  armour,  etc.,  states  that  "  the  Armourers  did  shewe  us  that 
in  Kinge  Edward  the  Second  his  time,  the  Lord  Maior  and  his  bretheren 
did  then  graunte  the  serche  unto  the  Armourers." 

As  has  been  noticed  before,  the  fact  that  armour  plates  were  expen- 
sive and  difficult  to  forge  will  account  for  the  scarcity  of  examples  of 
the  defensive  equipment  up  to  the  sixteenth  century.  Either  the  suit 
was  remade  or,  having  been  cast  aside,  it  was  utilized  by  the  common 
soldier  as  well  as  might  be.  It  was  only  when  the  age  of  the  firearm 
was  reached  that  armour  was  left  in  its  perfect  state  and  was  not  im- 
proved upon.  We  have  therefore  but  little  to  show  whether  the 
English  armourers  of  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries  were  more 
or  less  expert  than  their  foreign  rivals,  but,  from  other  examples  of 
metal-work  that  remain  to  us,  we  are  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
foreigner  was  our  superior.  At  the  same  time  we  find  on  more  than 
one  occasion  that  the  English  armourer  claims  to  equal  his  foreign 
rival  ;  but  whether  these  claims  were  ever  proved  we  are  unable  to  decide 
without  actual  examples  of  the  craft  work  or  documentary  evidence. 
In  Appendix  J  is  printed  an  appeal  fi*om  Capt.  John  Martin  in  1624 
for  leave  to  import  German  "platers"  to  teach  English  armourers,  with 
the  hope  that  this  will  establish  a  home  trade  and  will  stop  the  import 
of  foreign  work.  At  the  same  time  the  very  fact  of  this  request  shows 
that  the  craft  in  England  in  the  reign  of  James  I  was  not  in  a  very 
flourishing  condition.  On  the  other  hand,  in  1590  the  Armourers  of 
London  petitioned  Queen  Elizabeth  to  purchase  only  home  products, 
because  they  can  furnish  her  with  "  farre  better  armors  than  that  wch 
Cometh  from  beyond  the  seas." 

In  the  year  1580  the  Armourers'  Company  endeavoured  to  obtain 
16 


122        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


an  Act  of  Parliament  to  protect  and  encourage  the  craft  of  the 
Armourer,  but  with  no  result  owing  to  the  opposition  of  other  Com- 
panies. In  the  minutes  of  the  Company  detailing  this  effort  occurs 
the  following  passage,  which  is  of  interest  as  bearing  upon  the  skill  of 
English  workmen  at  that  date  :  "It  was  the  Master's  chance  to  speak 
with  Sir  Walter's^  honor  again,  Dr.  Doull,  one  of  the  Masters  of 
Requests,  being  with  him,  praying  him  to  have  the  Armourers'  Bill  in 
remembrance.     '  What,'  said  Mr.  Doctor,  '  there  is  none  of  your 

Company  that  can  make  an 
armor.'  *  Yes,  sir,'  said  the 
Master,  *that  there  is  verily 
good  workmen,  and  skilful  as 
needeth  to  be.'  '  Tell  me  not 
that,'  saith  he,  'for  I  will  hould 
you  a  hundred  pounds  that 
there  is  none  in  England  that 
can  ^'trampe"  an  armor  for 
the  Cappe  to  the  Soul  of  the 
foot."  '  '  I  will  lay  with  your 
worship  afore  Sir  Walter's  honor 
if  you  will  give  me  leave  that 
we  have  in  England  that  shall 
work  with  any  in  the  world 
from  the  toe  to  the  crown  of 
the  head  from  loo  to  looo' ; 
and  then  he  made  as  though 
he  would  have  laid  it.  *  No,' 
saith  Sir  Walter,  'ye  shall  not 
lay,  for  he  will  win  of  you,  for 
they  have  very  good  workmen,  and  I  know  of  the  workmanship  myself.  " 

This  skill  in  craftsmanship  was  doubtless  attained  under  the  tutelage 
of  the  Almaine  armourers  that  have  been  referred  to  before  who  were 
brought  over  by  Henry  VIII  to  Greenwich.  As  an  example  of  this  we 
may  notice  the  work  of  Pickering,^  to  whom  is  attributed  the  suit  made 

^  Sir  Walter  Mildmay,  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer. 
^  William  Pickering  was  Master  of  the  Company  1608-9 


Fig.  63.  Design  on  manifer  of  suit  made  for  Henry,  Prince 
of  Wales,  by  Pickering,  cz'rc.  161 1.  Windsor  Castle. 
Half-size  (from  a  rubbing). 


THE  ARMOURERS'  COMPANY,  LONDON  123 


for  Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  now  at  Windsor  Castle,  which  bears  a  strong 
resemblance  to  the  work  of  Jacob  Topf,  who  was  Master  Armourer  at 
Greenwich  in  1590  (Fig.  63). 

In  1595  a  Court  of  the  Armourers'  Company  was  held  to  examine 
targets  and  other  pieces  of  armour,  and  the  decision  arrived  at  was  that 
it  was  "not  of  the  proportion  that  cometh  from  beyond  the  seas,  the 
Breast  and  Back  Plates  were  too  short  and  too  narrow  everywhere." 
Again  in  the  year  1620  at  a  Court  it  was  certified  that  a  Sussex  smith 
"did  alter  old  Armour,  persuading  the  Countrey  that  they  were  work- 
manly  done,  which  notwithstanding  were  utterly  unserviceable."  This 
matter  was  reported  to  the  Justices  at  Guildford  to  be  dealt  with  by  them. 
From  these  entries  it  will  be  seen  that  the  control  of  the  Company  was 
very  real  and  that  in  the  main  the  English  craftsman  was  of  not  much 
account  until  he  had  learned  his  trade  from  foreign  experts. 

It  was  doubtless  due  to  the  instruction  given  by  the  foreigner  that 
the  Company  possessed  skilled  hammermen.  Under  Elizabeth  in  1560 
these  hammermen  were  employed  to  assist  in  the  process  of  coin-striking 
and  were  sent,  two  to  the  Clothworkers'  Hall,  two  to  the  Sessions  Hall, 
Southwark,  and  two  to  the  Merchant  Taylors'  Hall,  to  strike  and  stamp 
"with  portcullis  and  greyhound  the  several  pieces  of  money  called 
*  Testons,'  there  to  continue  until  the  end  of  fourteen  days  from  the 
date  of  precept."^ 

Many  of  the  foreign  immigrants  took  out  letters  of  naturalization 
and  became  members  of  the  Company,  but  none  of  these  seem  to  have 
been  craftsmen  of  note,  for  the  expert  workmen  were  generally  recalled 
to  the  German  Court  after  some  time,  where  there  was  a  wider  scope 
and,  possibly,  higher  remuneration  for  their  services. 

The  Company,  like  other  Corporations,  suffered  severely  during  the 
Reformation.  Religious  observances  were  so  much  a  part  of  the  gild 
life  that  the  members  soon  fell  under  suspicion,  as  practising  super- 
stitious rites.  Heavy  fines  were  enacted,  and  it  was  only  by  the 
generosity  of  John  Richmond,  a  member  of  the  Company,  who  bought 
part  of  the  corporate  property  of  the  Farringdon  estate  for  £^20  and 
left  it  back  to  the  Company  in  his  will,  that  the  fine  was  paid. 

^  In  September,  1575,  "  Hopkins,  a  maker  of  coining  irons  in  the  Mint,  has  also  been  making  calivers 
and  great  iron  pieces." — State  Papers,  suh  arm. 


124        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Informers,  of  whom  Tipper  and  Dawe  were  the  chief,  levied  black- 
mail on  the  Company  up  to  the  end  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and 
continued  to  suggest  that  superstitious  practices  were  indulged  in  till 
their  demands  were  met  at  heavy  expense. 

The  Armourers  had,  in  1 5 1 5,  absorbed  the  whole  craft  of  the  Blade- 
smiths,  which  seems  to  have  caused  much  friction  with  the  Cutlers. 
The  books  of  the  Company  are  full  of  appeals  and  negotiations  before 
the  Court  of  Aldermen  on  the  question  of  search  for  unlicensed  crafts- 
men and  faulty  goods,  which  was  one  of  the  important  duties  of  the 
Company.  These  were  finally  arranged  by  a  joint  search  being  made 
by  the  two  Companies.  The  Company  was  from  the  beginning  dedi- 
cated to  S.  George,  who  was  the  patron  of  armourers  all  over  Europe. 
His  statue  by  Donatello,  formerly  outside  the  gild-church  of  Or  San 
Michele  in  Florence,  is  well  known.  The  figure  of  S.  George  appears 
on  the  charter  granted  by  Henry  VI  in  1453,  and  also  upon  the  matrix 
of  a  seal  of  about  the  same  date.  The  registered  mark  of  the  Com- 
pany was  "A,"  surmounted  by  a  crown,  and  this  was  ordered  to  be 
stamped  upon  all  weapons,  armours,  and  guns  supplied  by  the  Company 
when  tested  and  approved. 

There  are  many  interesting  details  dealing  with  the  apprentices  of 
the  Company  which,  although  they  do  not  bear  directly  upon  the  craft 
of  the  armourer,  are  nevertheless  worth  recording  as  typical  of  the  craft 
laws  and  regulations  as  practised  in  England. 

In  most  craft-gilds  it  was  considered  sufficient  for  an  apprentice 
to  serve  for  seven  years  before  he  was  free  of  the  gild  ;  but  in  the 
Armourers'  Company  we  fi-equently  find  entries  of  apprentice  bonds  for 
nine  years,  and  in  some  instances  ten  and  fourteen.  There  are  records 
of  misbehaviour  of  one  of  the  apprentices,  who  is  ordered  "  honest 
correction  as  that  a  Servant  shall  be  used."  This  correction  was  some- 
times administered  in  the  Hall  before  the  Gild-Court,  and  is  described 
as  being  "  indifferently  well "  carried  out.  The  case  of  the  Sussex 
smith  who  produced  unworkmanly  armour  has  been  referred  to  above. 
In  a  letter  from  the  Lord  Mayor  in  1560  we  read  that  the  apprentices 
are  not  to  use  "  swearing  and  blaspheming,  haunting  evil  women  or 
Schools  of  Fence,  Dancing,  Carding,  Dicing,  Bowling,  Tennis  play, 
using  of  Ruffs  in  their  shirts.  Tavern  haunting  or  Banqueting,  and  if  any 


THE  ARMOURERS'  COMPAIVY,  LONDON  125 


shall  be  found  faulty  the  same  be  forwith  punished  by  whipping  openly 
in  your  Hall  in  the  sight  of  other  Apprentices,  and  ye  shall  give  in 
charge  that  the  said  Masters  shall  not  permit  nor  suffer  any  of  their 
Apprentices  to  wear  in  their  hosen  any  cloth  of  other  colours  than  are 
here  expressed,  that  is  to  say,  White,  Russet,  Blue,  Watchet,  and  the 
said  Hosen  to  be  made  without  great  Breeches  in  most  plain  manner 
without  stitching  of  Silk  or  any  mannar  of  Cuts." 

The  most  valuable  of  the  possessions  of  the  Armourers'  Company 
from  the  technical  point  of  view  is  the  suit  of  armour  made  by  Jacobe, 
who  is  now  considered  to  be  the  same  as  Jacob  Topf,  an  Innsbruck 
craftsman  who  was  Master  Armourer  at  Greenwich  in  1590.  The 
design  for  this  suit  appears  in  the  Almain  Armourer  s  Alburn^  which 
is  noticed  under  the  heading  of  German  Armourers.  There  is  also  a 
"  locking-gauntlet,"  which  is  sometimes  erroneously  called  the  "  for- 
bidden gauntlet,"  by  the  same  craftsman  (Fig.  32). 

The  Company  at  one  time  possessed  a  model  suit  of  armour  made 
in  1567  by  John  Kelk,  a  naturalized  German  member,  which,  when 
completed,  was  brought  into  the  Hall  with  much  ceremony  and  laid 
upon  the  high  table.  It  was  intended  to  be  a  pattern  of  the  armour 
made  by  the  Company.  There  are  various  entries  in  the  Company's 
Records  of  payments  for  repairing  and  keeping  up  this  "  Mannakine," 
as  it  was  called.  It  has  since  disappeared  ;  but  Hewitt,  the  noted 
authority  on  medieval  armour,  seemed  to  think  that  it  was  in  the 
Tower  in  1855  (II,  52). 


LISTS  OF  EUROPEAN  ARMOURERS 


THE  following  short  notices  give  what  details  are  known  of  some 
of  the  more  important  armourers.  In  many  instances  they  are 
only  known  by  their  works,  and  no  details  are  forthcoming 
about  their  private  or  professional  lives.  The  dates  given  are  those 
of  the  earliest  and  latest  mention  of  the  individual  in  contemporary 
chronicles. 

ENGLAND 

(k.a.,  q.a.  =  king's  or  queen's  armourer) 

Albert,  Hans.     15 15. 

Ashton,  John.     1633.    K.A.  and  Armourers'  Co. 

Aynesley,  Edward.     1633.    K.A.  and  Armourers'  Co. 

Baker,  Thomas.^     i547«    Armourers'  Co. 

Basyn,  John.     1524—44.     (Naturalized  Norman.) 

Bawdesonne,  Alen.     1547.    King's  Armourer,  Westminster. 

Blewbery,  John.    1511-16.    (Yeoman  of  the  Armoury  at  Greenwich, 

1515-) 

Boreman,  W.,  also  called  Alias  Hynde.     1 599-1609.  (Appointed 

armourer  at  Greenwich,  1599.    Will  dated  1645.) 
Brande,  Rauffe.^  1520. 

Baltesar  Bullato.     1532.    Milanese,  King's  Armourer. 
Carter,  William.     1534.  Ludlow. 
Clere,  Hans.     1530.     K.A.,  Greenwich. 
Clynkerdager,  Hans.     1542-4.    K.A.,  Greenwich. 
Clynkerdager,  John.  1525. 
Copeland.     1529.  London. 

Cooper,  John.     1627-9.    Keeper  of  the  King's  Brigandines. 
Cowper,  Thomas.     1559.     K.A.,  Greenwich. 
Coxe,  Wm.     1633.     K.A.  and  Armourers'  Co. 
Croche,  Francis.     1528-9.    K.A.,  Greenwich. 

^  At  funeral  of  Henry  VIII. 

2  Sent  to  Flanders  in  this  year  to  provide  armour,  etc.,  for  the  Field  of  the  Cloth  of  Gold. 

126 


LISTS  OF  EUROPEAN  ARMOURERS  127 


Crochet,  John.     1515-20.    K. A.,  Greenwich. 

Crompton,  John.     1544.  Southwark. 

Crouche,  Wm.     1633.    K.A.  and  Armourers'  Co. 

Cutler,  Richard.^  1520. 

Dael,  Thomas.     15 15.     K.A.,  Greenwich. 

Daniele,  Edmond.^  i547' 

Daniele,  John.^  i547' 

Darwin,  WilHam.     161 3.    Yeoman  of  the  Armoury  at  Greenwich. 
Dawson.     15  15.    K. A.,  Greenwich. 

Dedikes,  Dirike.     1530.    Yeoman  of  the  Armoury  at  Greenwich. 

Dericke  or  Diricke,  Mathew.     1559-74.     K.A.,  Greenwich. 

Dericke  or  Diricke,  Robert.  1524. 

Diconson,  John.     1528.     K. A.,  Greenwich. 

Faulkenor,  Roger. ^  1625-31. 

Fevers,  Peter.     15  12—18.     K. A.,  Greenwich. 

Foster,  Rowland.     1633.     K.A.  and  Armourers'  Co. 

Franklin,  John.     1633.    K.A.  and  Armourers'  Co. 

Fuller,  James.     1559.    Yeoman  of  the  Armoury,  Greenwich. 

Garret,  John.     i  559-1601  (date  of  will).    Q. A.,  Greenwich. 

Gurre,  Wm.     151 1-38.  Brigandarius. 

Haider,  Jacob.     1574'    Q. A.,  Greenwich. 

Halore  (?),  Jacob.    1559.   Q. A.,  Greenwich.   (Possibly  the  same  as  Haider.) 

Harford,  Richard.     1590.  London. 

Herste,  Martyn.     1574-    Q. A.,  Greenwich. 

Hill,  Johan.     1434.    Armourer  to  Henry  VI.    See  page  173. 

Horne,  Geofrey.     1 5  1 6- 1 8. 

Hotton,  Richard.  1592. 

Hunter,  Hans. ^     1547-  Westminster. 

Jacobi  or  Jacobe.*     1530-90.     Master  Armourer,  Greenwich. 

Kelte,  John.     1559-74.    Q. A.,  Greenwich. 

Kemp,  Jasper.     1544.    K. A.,  Greenwich. 

Keymer,  Roger.     1571.    Q.A.,  Greenwich. 

Kirke,  John.     1577.    Master  Armourer  at  Greenwich. 

^  Sent  to  Flanders  in  this  year  to  provide  armour,  etc.,  for  the  Field  of  the  Cloth  of  Gold. 

-  At  funeral  of  Henry  VIII. 

^  Made  sundry  petitions  for  inquiry  as  to  the  state  of  the  Armouries,  S.P.D.  Car.  I,  xiii,  96,  etc. 

*  Now  considered  to  be  the  same  as  Topf.    Only  mention  as  armourer  in  England,  1 590. 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Kirkener,  Erasmus  or  Asamus.    1519-93.   Brigandarius,  1538  ;  Chief 

Armourer,  i  544. 
Kornelys^     15 ^S*    K. A.,  Greenwich. 
Lasy,  John.     1533-  Nottingham. 

Lincoln,  Thomas.    1604—8.  Yeoman  of  the  Armoury  at  Greenwich. 
Mare  de  la,  Will.    K.A.,  1672. 

Marshall,  Nicholas.     1533.     K.A.  and  Armourers'  Co. 
Martyn,  "  Old."     1544.    K. A.,  Greenwich. 
Mightner,  Hans.     1559-74.    Q.A.,  Greenwich. 
Oliver,  Jermyn.     1514-44.     (Naturalized  Norman.) 
Pellande,  Richard.  1520. 

Pellysonne,  Frances.     1524-44.     (Naturalized  "from  the  domains  of 
the  Emperor.") 

Pickering,  William.     1591—1630.    Master  Armourer  at  Greenwich, 
1604-14. 

Pipe,  Nighel.     1559-    Q.A.,  Greenwich. 
Pitwell,  Giles.     1516-44.     (Naturalized  Gascon.) 
Polston,  John.     1552.    K. A.,  Greenwich. 
Pounde,  John  de.  1520. 

Poyes,  Francis.     1525-44.     (Naturalized  Norman.) 
Purday,  John.  1562. 
Sewell,  John.     1 5  90—  i . 

Sherman,  Nicolas.     1629.    Chief  Armourer  at  Greenwich. 

Spirarde,  Carries  or  Tarys.     1574.    Q.A.,  Greenwich. 

Spyltherup  or  Speldrup,  Francis.^  1532. 

Stephens,  Thos.     1626.    K.A.  and  Armourers'  Co. 

Stile,  John.^    1524.    K.A.,  Greenwich. 

Stone,  Benjamin.     1636.    Sword-smith,  Hounslow. 

Ureland,  Peter  van.     1515.    Gilder  and  Graver,  Greenwich. 

Watt  Copyn  Jacob  de.     1512-26.    K. A.,  Greenwich. 

Whetstone.  1628. 

White,  Thomas.     141 6.     Master  Armourer. 
Wolf,  John.     1538-42.     K.A. ,  Greenwich. 
Wollwarde,  Thomas.     1530-41.    K.A.,  Cireenwich. 
Woode,  Richard.     1590.  London. 

^  Appropriated  gold  intended  to  gild  armour,  also  clipped  money.        -  Died  by  burning  in  this  year. 


LISTS  OF  EUROPEAN  ARMOURERS  129 


GERMAN  ARMOURERS 

Aldegraver,  Heinrich.  1502-58. 
Brabenter,  Wilhelm,  Solingen.    Sixteenth  century. 
Colman,  Coloman.     1470-1532.    Augsburg.    Mark  No.  40.  See 
page  133- 

Colman  (Helmschmied),  Desiderius.     1552.     Mark  No.  40.  See 
page  134. 

Colman  (Helmschmied),  Lorenz.     1490-1516.    Mark  Nos.  2,  23,  41. 
See  page  133. 

Frauenpreis,  Matthaias.     1549.    Mark  No.  38.    See  page  135. 

Frauenpreis,  Matthaias,  the  younger.    See  page  135. 

Grofsschedl,  Franz.    Landshut.    1568.    Mark  No.  39. 

Griinewald,  Hans.  Nuremberg.    1503.    Mark  No.  54.    Seepage  135. 

Hopfer,  Daniel.     1566.    See  page  136. 

Jovingk,  Jakob.    Dresden.  1650-9. 

Knopf,  Heinrich.  1604. 

Lochner,  Conrad.   Nuremberg.    1567.   Mark  No.  46.    Seepage  136. 
Obresch,  Heinrich.    Gratz.     1590.    Mark  No.  47. 
PefFenhauser,  Anton.    Augsburg.     1566-94.    Mark  No.  48. 
Ringler,  Hans.    Nuremberg.     1560.     Mark  No.  49. 
Rockenberger  or  Rosenberger,  Hans.     1543-70.  Dresden. 
Rockenburger,  Sigmund.     1554—72.     Mark  No.  79. 
Rotschmied.    Nuremberg.     1597.    Mark  No.  6. 
Seusenhofer,  Conrad.     Innsbruck.     1502—18.     Mark  No.  7.  See 
page  141. 

Seusenhofer,  Jorg.  Innsbruck.  1558.  Mark  No.  8.  Seepage  141. 
Seusenhofer,  Wilhelm.    Augsburg.  1547. 

Siebenburger,  Valentine.    Nuremberg.     1547.    Mark  Nos.  20,  74. 
Sigman,  George.     1560.    Mark  No.  76. 
Speyer,  Peter.    Dresden.     1560.    Mark  No.  60. 
Speyer,  Wolf.    Dresden.  1580. 

Topf,  Jacob.    Innsbruck.     1530-90.    Seepage  143. 
Trey tz,  Adrian.    Innsbruck.     1469-15  17.    Mark  No.  15. 
Veit.    Nuremberg.     Sixteenth  century.    Mark  No.  16. 
17 


130        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 

Wolf,  Sigismond.    Landshut.  1554. 

Worms,  Wilhelm  (father  and  son).   Nuremberg.    1539.    Mark  No.  1 7. 

FRANCE 

Petit,  M.    Seventeenth  century.    Mark  No.  83. 

NETHERLANDS 

Merate,  Gabriel  and  Francesco.   Arbois.    1495.   Mark  Nos.  18,51,53. 
See  page  136. 

Voys,  Jacques.     Brussels.      Fifteenth  to  sixteenth  century.  Mark 
No.  56. 

ITALY 

Campi,  Bartolomeo.    Milan.     1573.    See  page  132. 
Camelio,  Victor.    Brescia.     1500.    Seepage  131. 
Cantoni,  Bernardino.    Milan.     1500.    See  page  133. 
Chiesa,  Pompeo  della.    Milan.  1590. 

Missaglia,  Antonio.     1492.    Mark  Nos.  24,  25,  26.    See  page  138. 
Missaglia,  Petrajolo.    Milan.     1390.    Mark  Nos.  27,  78. 
Missaglia,  Tomaso.    Milan.   1468.   Mark  Nos.  27,  78.  Seepage  137. 
Mola,  Gesparo.     Rome.     1640.    See  page  139. 
Negroli,  Philip  and  Jacopo.    Milan.     1530-90.    Mark  Nos.  42,  43, 

44.    See  page  140. 
Piccinino,  Lucio.    Milan.     1550—70.    See  page  140. 


SHORT  BIOGRA.PHIES  OF  NOTABLE  ARMOURERS 


Hans  Burgmair,  This  celebrated  engraver  was  the  son  of 

Augsburg,  1473-153 1.      Hans  Burgmair  or  Burgkmair.    There  is  some 

confusion  between  the  father  and  son,  but  the 
former  seems  to  have  worked  either  as  a  maker  or  a  decorator  of  armour. 
The  family  were  neighbours  of  the  famous  Colmans,  the  armourers,  who 
lived  in  the  Lange  Schmiede  gasse,  while  the  Burgmairs  had  a  house 
close  by  in  Mauerburg.  In  1526  Coloman  Colman  left  his  house  to 
live  with  Hans  Burgmair  the  elder,  while  Hans  the  younger  took  Col- 
man's  house.  The  two  families  seem  to  have  been  on  most  intimate 
terms.  S.  Quirin.  Leitner  considered  that  the  bard  of  A,  149,  Madrid, 
which  represents  the  labours  of  Hercules  and  Samson,  was  designed  by 
Burgmair,  and  Wendelin  Boeheim  ^  also  inclined  to  this  view.  His  prin- 
cipal works  were  the  Triumph  of  Maximilian  and  the  illustrations  of  the 
Weisz  Kunig^  both  of  which  show  such  endless  varieties  of  armour  and 
weapons  that  we  cannot  but  feel  that  the  artist  must  have  had  a  very 
practical  knowledge  of  the  craft  of  the  armourer. 

It  would  enlarge  the  present  work  beyond  its  original  scope  if  men- 
tion were  made  of  all  the  artists  who  designed  armour  and  weapons,  for 
in  all  ages  the  painter  and  sculptor  have  been  employed  in  this  direction. 
It  will  be  sufficient  to  note  that  designs  of  this  nature  are  to  be  found 
in  the  sketch-books  of  Donatello,  Giulio  Romano,  Holbein,  Leonardo 
da  Vinci,  Benvenuto  Cellini,  and  Albert  Diirer.  Reproductions  of  two 
drawings  by  the  latter  are  given  on  Plate  XXXI. 

Vittore  Camelio,  Camelio  was  born  either  at  Venice  or  Vin- 

Venice,  circ.  1450-1509.     cenza.    He  was  a  fine  engraver  and  medallist, 

and  is  considered  by  Nagler  to  have  invented 
the  process  of  striking  coins  and  medals  from  steel  dies.  He  was  especially 
noted  for  light  steel  armour  of  high  temper.    He  was  granted  a  patent 

1  Meister  der  WafFenschmiedkunst. 
131 


132        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


or  concession  for  the  sole  working  of  his  invention  by  the  Senate  of 
Venice  from  1509  for  five  years. 

Bartolomeo  Campi,  Campi  v^as  born  at  Pesaro,  but  the  exact  date 

Pesaro,  Venice,  Paris,  1573.     of  his  birth  is  unknown.    He  was  a  goldsmith, 

and  engraver  and  maker  of  arms  and  armour 
of  such  merit  that  they  elicited  the  highest  praise  from  Pedro  Aretino 
in  his  letters  from  Venice  to  Bartolomeo  Egnazio  in  1545.  About  this 
date  he  made  a  magnificent  pageant  suit  of  pseudo-Roman  armour  for 
Guidobaldo  II,  Duke  of  Urbino,  who  presented  it  to  Charles  V.  The 
cuirass  is  superbly  modelled  on  the  human  torse  and  is  decorated  with 
a  Medusa's  head  and  bands  of  gold  with  silver  flowers.  The  shoulder- 
pieces  are  of  blackened  steel  in  the  form  of  masks  with  golden  eyes,  and 
the  lambrequins  hanging  from  the  cuirass  end  in  medallions  and  masks. 
The  helmet  is  decorated  with  a  crown  of  golden  leaves.  On  the  cuirass 
is  the  inscription :  "  BARTOLOMEVS  CAMPI  AVRIFEX  TOTIVS 
OPERIS  ARTIFEX  QVOD  ANNO  INTEGRO  INDIGEBAT  PRIN- 
CIPIS  SVI  NVTVI  OBTEMPERANS  GEMINATO  PERFECIT." 
If  this  inscription  is  not  an  exaggeration,  it  is  little  short  of  miraculous 
that  this  suit  should  have  been  made  in  one  year.  It  is  now  at  Madrid 
(A,  188).  In  1547  Campi  directed  the  fetes  held  in  honour  of  the 
marriage  of  Guidobaldo  II  and  Vittoria  Farnese  at  Pesaro.  He  was 
military  engineer  to  the  Republic  of  Siena,  to  that  of  Venice,  and  to 
the  King  of  France  between  the  years  1554  and  1 560.  He  assisted  the 
Due  de  Guise  at  the  siege  of  Calais  in  1562,  and  in  1568  served  with 
the  Duke  of  Alba  in  Flanders,  where  he  was  given  a  commission  as 
chief  engineer  of  fortifications  at  a  salary  of  500  escudi.  The  Duke, 
writing  to  the  King  on  June  3,  1569,  says :  "I  tell  your  Majesty  that 
you  have  a  good  man  in  Captain  B.  Campi,  because  in  truth  he  is  a 
soldier  and  has  art,  although  not  so  well  founded  as  Pachote  .  .  .  and 
he  is  the  best  man  I  have  met  with  since  I  have  known  men — I  do  not 
say  only  engineers,  but  men  of  any  sort — very  happy  and  steady  in  his 
work."  Campi  was  killed  by  an  arquebus  shot  at  the  siege  of  Haarlem 
on  March  7th,  1573,  to  the  great  grief  of  the  Duke  and  the  whole 
army.  His  brother  was  an  armourer  about  1555,  but  we  have  no 
records  of  his  work.    The  magnificent  specimen  of  Bartolomeo's  work 


SHORT  BIOGRAPHIES 


133 


at  Madrid  is  the  only  example  of  his  craft  as  an  armourer  that  has 
come  down  to  us  (Plate  XIV). 

Jacopo  and  Bernardino  But  little  definite  infor- 

Cantoni,  mation  is  to  be  obtained 

Milan,  1477-1 500.        respecting    the    Cantoni  ^ 

family.  They  worked  for  Galeazzo  Maria  Sforza  and  1 
other  princes,  and  are  mentioned  as  "  magistri 
armorum"  in  the  gild-records  of  Milan.  Bernardino 
worked  for  the  Emperor  Maximilian  I  and  produced 
the  brigandine  (Madrid,  C,  11)  which  bears  his 
signature  (Fig.  64).  This  is  the  only  work  which 
can  be  directly  ascribed  to  this  family. 

Lorenz  Colman,  This   armourer    is  also 

Augsburg,  d.  1516.  known  as  Colman  Helm-  IVg^rfcTt 
Mark  Nos.  23,  41.  schmied.  Little  is  known  of  Madrid, 
his  history  except  that  one  of  his  ancestors  was  living  in  Augsburg 
in  1377.  His  father  George  was  also  an  armourer  who  worked  in 
Augsburg  in  the  Harbruc  and  in  the  Luginsland,  craft-streets  of  that 
city.  He  died  in  1479.  The  name  of  his  son  Lorenz  first  appears  in 
the  civic  records  in  1467,  and  his  work  must  have  soon  attracted 
attention,  for  in  1477  we  find  him  making  armour  for  Maximilian  I 
and  obtaining  the  fi*eedom  of  the  city.  In  149 1  he  was  created  Hof 
Platner  to  the  Emperor  and  established  himself  in  a  house  in  Inns- 
bruck. From  commissions  entrusted  to  him  for  buying  metal  in 
1498  he  appears  to  have  been  still  at  Innsbruck,  and  in  1 506  the  records 
of  Mantua  show  that  he  was  making  armour  for  that  court.  After  this 
he  seems  to  have  been  employed  entirely  by  Maximilian,  and  in  1508 
he  received  a  large  contract  for  armour  for  his  army.  His  work  is  marked 
with  a  helm  surmounted  by  a  cross,  and  always  bears  in  addition  the 
pine,  the  Augsburg  city  stamp.  Armour  from  his  hand  is  to  be  found 
at  Madrid,  A,  44,  and  Vienna,  62,  1005,  10 16,  1023. 

Coloman  Colman,  Coloman  was  the  son  of  Lorenz,  and  with  the 

Augsburg,  1476-1532.      rest  of  his  family  took  the  craft-name  of  Helm- 
Mark  No.  40.  schmied,  a  fact  which  makes  investigations  of 
records,  documents,  etc.,  of  some  difficulty.    This  is  especially  the  case 


134        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


with  Coloman,  whose  name  is  spelt  sometimes  with  a  "C"  and  some- 
times with  a  "K."  The  first  mention  of  Coloman  in  civic  documents 
is  in  1507.  In  I  5  12  we  find  him  working  for  Charles  V,  and  shortly 
after  he  entered  the  service  of  Maximilian  I.  In  1516  a  silver  suit  of 
armour  (steel  plated  with  silver)  was  ordered  from  him  by  Maximilian, 
but  in  1 5 19  this  suit  seems  still  to  have  been  unfinished,  probably 
owing  to  lack  of  payments,  a  reason  which  was  and  is  always  being 
advanced  by  craftsmen  of  all  kinds  for  work  delayed  at  this  period. 
He  employed  the  two  Burgmairs,  father  and  son,  to  decorate  his 
armour. 

Although  Charles  V  frequently  urged  him  to  come  to  Spain, 
his  numerous  commissions  at  home  prevented  him.  He  seems  to  have 
been  prosperous  in  1 525,  for  he  bought  the  "  Schmied  haus  in  the  Karo- 
line  strasse"  from  the  widow  of  Thomas  Burgmair.  Two  portrait  medals 
were  struck  for  him  in  i  5  i  8,  1532.  His  clientele  extended  to  Italy,  and 
in  I  5  1 1  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Marchesa  Francesco  di  Mantua  describing 
a  project  for  completely  arming  a  horse  with  laminated  and  jointed 
defences  of  plate  covering  head,  body,  and  legs.  A  picture  in  the  Zeug- 
haus  at  Vienna  shows  Harnischmeister  Albrecht  riding  a  horse  armed  in 
this  fashion,  and  a  portion  of  the  leg-piece  of  such  a  suit  is  preserved  in 
the  Musee  Porte  de  Hal,  Brussels  (see  page  9). 

The  following  works  bear  Coloman  Colman's  mark  or  are  known 
from  documentary  evidence  to  be  fi-om  his  hand  :  Vienna,  175. 
Wallace  Collection,  402.  Madrid,  A,  19 ;  A,  37-42  ;  A,  59  ;  A,  93-107 
(Tonlet  suit  "The  Chase") ;  A,  108-11 ;  E,  57  ;  E,  59.  Dresden,  G,  15. 

Desiderius  Colman,  Desiderius  was  the  son  of  Coloman  Colman. 

Augsburg,  arc.  1532.  In  1 532  he  took  over  the  workshops  in  the 
Marks,  the  same  as  No.  40.  Mauerburg  at  Augsburg,  which  his  father  had 
shared  with  the  Burgmair  family.  He  worked  at  first  with  the  armourer 
Lutzenberger,  who  married  the  stepmother  of  Desiderius  in  1545.  In 
1550  he  became  a  member  of  the  City  Council,  and  in  1556  he  was 
made  Court  Armourer  to  Charles  V.  This  title  was  afterwards  con- 
firmed by  Maximilian  II.  Desiderius  seems  to  have  used  the  same 
mark  as  his  father,  hence  there  is  some  confusion  between  the  two 
craftsmen.    The  suits  known  to  be  by  him  are  at  Madrid,  A,  157,  158, 


SHORT  BIOGRAPHIES 


135 


239,  142 — the  splendid  parade 
suit  made  for  Philip  II,  which  is 
signed  and  dated  1550,  and  the 
richly  embossed  and  chased  round 
shield  A,  24 1 ,  which  is  also  signed 
and  dated  15  April,  1552.  It  is 
upon  this  shield  that  he  recorded 
his  rivalry  with  the  Negrolis  (Plate 
XXIV,  Fig.  65,  also  page  16). 


Fig.  65.    Detail  of  Shield  by  Desiderius  Colman 
(Plate  XXIV). 


Matthaias  Frauenpreis^ 
Augsburg. 
Father,  1529-49. 
Son,  1 5 30- 1 604. 
Mark  No.  38. 


The  elder  Frauenpreis  or  Frauenbreis  was  a 
pupil  of  the  Colman  family  (q.v.),  and  in  i  529 
married  the  widow  of  a  helm-smith.  He  is  first 
heard  of  as  an  independent  workman  in  1530. 
The  following  works  are  ascribed  to  him  or  his  son  : — 

Madrid. 


Vienna. 


Dresden. 


A,  198.  A  brassard  forming  part  of  the  suit  A,  190,  made  by 
Desiderius  Colman. 

D,  68.  A  shield  signed  with  his  name  on  which  the  figure  of 
Fortuna  is  ascribed  to  Hans  Burgmair. 

M,  6.  A  small  shield  marked  with  his  stamp  No.  38. 

950.  Field  suit  of  Archduke  Maximilian. 

397.  A  white  and  gold  suit  bearing  the  mark  No.  38. 

G,  39.  A  fine  suit  of  Kurfiirst  Moritz,  bearing  the  mark  No.  38. 
Illustrated  on  Plate  VII. 


Hans  Grunewalt,  His  grandfather  was  a  bell  -founder  of  Nurem- 

Nuremberg,  1 440-1503.      berg,  who  made  the  bells  for  the  church  of 
Mark  No.  54.  s.  Sebald  in  1396.   In  1465,  after  his  father's 

death,  Hans  built  a  large  house  and  workshop,  after  much  litigation  with 
the  city  over  his  glazing  or  polishing  mills.  In  1480  he  owned  many 
houses  in  Nuremberg,  and  built  the  "  Pilatus "  house  near  the  Thier- 
gartner-Thor,  close  to  the  house  of  Albert  Diirer.  He  worked  for  the 
Emperor  Maximilian  I,  and  was  the  most  serious  rival  of  the  Missaglia 
family  of  Milan,  who  at  this  time  were  the  most  celebrated  armourers 
of  Europe.  The  mark  No.  54  is  ascribed  by  Boeheim  to  Grunewalt. 
Works  bearing  this  mark  are  to  be  found  in  the  W^affensammlung,  Vienna, 
66,  995. 


136        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Daniel  Hopfer,  Hopfer  was  in  the  first  instance  a  painter,  a 

Augsburg,  c/rr.  1 495-1 566.    designer  and  maker  of  stained  glass,  and  an 

engraver.  He  settled  in  Augsburg  in  1495. 
According  to  Heller  he  died  in  1549,  but  this  is  not  borne  out  by  the 
entries  in  the  account  books  of  Maximilian  II,  who  employed  him  and 
his  brother.  In  the  Hofzahlantsbuch,  under  the  date  1566,  it  is  stated 
that  Daniel  and  his  brother  George,  both  of  Augsburg,  were  ordered 
by  Maximilian  II  to  make  110  new  helmets  for  the  Trabantengarde 
and  to  decorate  them  with  engraving.  Four  were  made  in  March  as 
samples,  and  the  remainder  were  to  be  delivered  in  July  at  a  cost  of 
397  gulden  42  kreutzer.  Much  of  the  work  of  the  brothers  Hopfer 
consisted  in  decorating  armour  made  by  other  masters,  of  whom  Colo- 
man  Colman  was  the  chief.  In  Madrid  are  several  examples  of  the 
work  of  Daniel:  A,  26  and  65  are  horse-armours  which  are  deco- 
rated in  Hopfer's  style,  and  A,  27,  57  are  jousting-shields  which  are 
certainly  from  his  hand  ;  the  latter  is  signed  and  dated  1536. 

Conrad  Lochner,  In  1 544  Conrad,  or  Kuntz  as  he  is  sometimes 

Nuremberg,  1510-67.      called,  was  Hofplatner  to  Maximilian  II  with 
Mark  No.  46.  retaining  fee  of  14  florins  10  kronen,  and  in 

1 547  Maximilian  gave  him  a  settled  yearly  pension.  He  must  have  given 
up  his  appointment  in  1 5  5 1 ,  for  we  find  Hans  Siefert  Court  Armourer  in 
this  year.  He  was  born  at  Nuremberg  in  1 5 1  o,  where  his  father  followed 
the  trade  of  an  armourer,  and  had  two  brothers  who  worked  with  him, 
but  the  names  of  the  Lochners  do  not  often  appear  in  the  royal  accounts. 
Like  most  of  his  craft,  he  was  frequently  in  money  difficulties,  and  had 
great  trouble  in  collecting  his  debts  from  the  King  of  Poland.  His  works 
are  found  at  Berlin,  116,  a  horse-armour;  Paris,  G,  166,  182,  565, 
566  ;  Madrid,  A,  243  ;  Dresden,  E,  5  and  G,  165  ;  Vienna,  334.  He 
frequently  used  tritons  and  sea-monsters  as  a  motif  for  his  decorations. 

Gabrielle  and  Francesco  In  1 494  the  Merate  brothers  were  sent  for  by 

Merate,  Maximilian  I  and  did  work  for  him  personally. 

Milan  and  Arbois,  ^^^^  obtained  a  contract  for  three  years, 

ctrc   14.04.— I  C2Q 

Marks,  possibly  18,  51,  53.         which  they  received  1000  francs  and  1000 

gulden,  under  which  they  pledged  themselves 
to  set  up  a  forge,  workshops,  and  mill  at  Arbois,  in  Burgundy.  Gabrielle 


SHORT  BIOGRAPHIES 


137 


was  also  to  receive  loo  francs  a  year  and  to  be  free  of  taxes,  an  advan- 
tage frequently  granted  to  master-armourers.  For  this  he  had  to  deliver 
annually  fifty  suits  stamped  with  his  mark,  each  suit  costing  40  francs,  and 
one  hundred  helmets  at  10  francs  each,  one  hundred  pair  of  grandgardes 
at  5  francs,  and  one  hundred  pair  of  garde-bras  at  40  francs  the  pair. 

The  enumeration  of  the  last  two  items  in  pairs  is  unusual,  as  they 
were  defences  only  worn  on  the  left  shoulder  and  arm  and  would  not 
be  sold  in  pairs.  At  the  same  time  we  should  remember  that  the  terms 
used  for  different  portions  of  the  suit  are  often  confused,  and  a  word 
which  now  has  a  certain  definite  meaning  in  collections  was  often  used 
in  a  totally  different  sense.  The  Merates  were  bound  by  this  contract 
to  work  only  for  the  Emperor.  Their  stamp  is  generally  supposed  to 
be  a  crown  and  the  word  "  Arbois,"  but  it  is  uncertain  as  to  what  actual 
specimens  now  in  existence  are  by  their  hands.  Possibly  the  "  Burgun- 
dian  Bard  "  (II,  3)  in  the  Tower  was  made  by  them.  It  bears  a  crescent 
and  the  letter  "M,"  and  is  decorated  with  the  cross  ragule  and  the  flint 
and  steel,  the  Burgundian  badges  which  were  brought  to  Maximilian  by 
his  wife,  Mary  of  Burgundy.  Their  names  are  mentioned  in  the  list  of 
tax-payers  in  the  parish  of  S.  Maria  Beltrade,  the  church  of  the  Sword- 
smiths'  Gild,  at  Milan  under  the  date  1524-9,  and  they  are  also  men- 
tioned in  a  letter  from  Maximilian  to  Ludovico  il  Moro  in  1495  as 
excellent  armourers.  They  took  their  name  from  the  village  of  Merate, 
which  is  near  Missaglia,  a  township  which  was  the  birthplace  of  the 
famous  Missaglia  family. 

Work  stamped  with  the  word  "Arbois"  and  the  crown  is  found  at 
Vienna,  917,  948,  and  the  "  M"  with  the  crescent  is  marked  on  the 
bard  of  A,  3  at  Madrid,  on  II,  3  and  II,  5,  Tower  of  London. 

Thomaso  Missaglia,  The  family  name  of  Thomaso  and  his  de- 

Milan,  arc.  141 5-1468.  scendants  was  Negroni,  as  is  proved  by  a  tomb- 
Marks  27,  78.  stone  formerly  in  the  church  of  San  Satiro  at 
Milan  on  which  the  two  names  appear.  They  came  from  the  township 
of  Missalia,  near  Ello,  on  the  lake  of  Como.  Petrajolo,  the  father  of 
Thomaso,  was  also  an  armourer,  and  worked  about  the  year  1390,  but 
we  have  little  knowledge  of  his  history.  The  house  occupied  by  the 
Missaglias  was  in  the  Via  degli  Spadari,  Milan,  and  was  decorated  with 

18 


158        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


the  family  badges  and  monograms  (Fig.  66).  It  was  demolished  in 
1 90 1  in  the  course  of  street  improvements,  but  was  first  carefully  drawn 

and  described  by  Sigs.  Gelli  and  Morretti  in 
their  monograph  on  the  Milanese  armourers. 
The  heavy  work  of  the  armourers  was  carried 
out  at  a  mill  near  the  Porta  Romana,  for  which 
the  Missaglias  paid  a  rent  of  one  sallad  a  year 
to  the  Duke  of  Milan.  Thomaso  da  Missaglia 
was  ennobled  in  1435  by  Philip  Maria  Visconti 
and  was  made  free  of  taxes  in  1450.  There  are 
many  records  of  commissions  to  him  and  of 
taxes  and  other  municipal  matters  connected 
with  the  family  in  the  Archives  of  Milan.  He 
Fig.  66.  Capitai^formeriy  in  the  dicd  in  1 469  and  was  buricd  in  the  church  of 
Via  degh  Spadan,  1  an.  ^  Maria  Beltradc,  Milan.  The  only  known 
work  by  this  master  is  No.  2  in  the  Vienna  Collection  (Plate  XXX). 
Baron  de  Cosson  ^  has  pointed  out  the  strong  resemblance  between  this 
suit,  the  effigy  of  Richard  Beauchamp,  Earl  of  Warwick,  in  S.  Mary's 
Church,  Warwick,  and  the  picture  of  S.  Gporge  by  Mantegna  in  the 
Accademia,  Venice. 


Antonio  Missaglia^ 
Milan,  ctrc.  1430-92. 
Marks  24,  25,  26. 


Antonio  was  the  son  of  Thomaso  Missaglia, 
and  was  one  of  the  foremost  of  the  Milanese 
armourers.  As  has  been  noticed  in  the  Intro- 
duction, the  style  of  armour  which  was  evolved  by  him  and  his  father 
seems  to  have  been  adopted  by  German  craftsmen.  There  are  numerous 
records  of  payments  and  letters  connected  with  Antonio  in  the  Archives 
of  Milan  from  the  year  1450  onwards.  He  worked  for  Galeazzo  Maria 
Visconti  and  for  Bona  di  Savoia  and  after  the  death  of  the  former 
became  Ducal  Armourer.  In  1456  he  made  armour  for  the  Papal  troops, 
and  about  this  time  he  enlarged  the  workshops  of  the  family  in  the  Via 
degli  Spadari.  In  1469  the  Duke  of  Milan  gave  him  a  mill  near  the 
S.  Angelo  Canal.  In  1470  he  received  a  lease  of  iron-mines  near  the 
forest  of  Canzo,  near  the  Lago  del  Segrino,  from  the  Ducal  Chamber,  and 
in  1472,  in  recognition  of  his  services  to  the  State,  he  was  allowed  to 
purchase  the  property. 

1  Anh,  Journ.,  XLVIII. 


SHORT  BIOGRAPHIES 


139 


The  last  entry  in  the  Milanese  Archives  relating  to  Antonio  refers 
to  his  mines  and  furnaces  in  a  letter  to  Bona  di  Savoia,  April  20th,  1480. 
In  the  MSS.  Lib.,  Trivulziano,  is  a  report  of  the  Venetian  Embassy  which 
came  to  Milan  on  its  way  to  Germany,  written  by  Andrea  de  Francesca. 
This  report  states  that  Antonio's  workshops  were  visited  and  armour  was 
seen  there  to  the  value  of  1000  ducats.  He  seems  to  have  had  a  son 
Scabrino,  but  there  are  no  records  of  him  as  an  armourer.  Antonio  died 
at  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century  and  is  the  last  of  the  family  who  used 
the  name  of  Missaglia.  His  successors  reverted  to  the  family  name  of 
Negroni  or  Negroli.  The  suit  No.  3  in  the  Vienna  Collection  is  stamped 
with  his  mark  (Plate  II),  and  many  helmets  of  the  sallad  type  and 
various  pieces  of  armour  bear  a  similar  stamp  in  other  armouries,  such  as 
the  Wallace  Collection,  the  Porte  de  Hal,  Brussels,  etc.  etc.  The  close 
helmet  on  the  "Tonlet  suit"  in  the  Tower,  II,  29  (Plate  X),  is  engraved 
with  the  Collar  of  the  Garter  and  bears  the  Missaglia  stamp,  and  a  suit 
in  the  Musee  d'Artillerie,  G,  3,  bears  the  same  mark. 

Gasparo  Mola,  Mola  is  the  only  armourer  whom  we  can 

Rome,  circ.  1 590-1 640.     identify  as  having  worked  in  Rome.     He  was 

born  about  the  year  1590  at  Breglio,  where 
his  father  was  an  architect.  He  came  to  Milan  at  an  early  age  and 
worked  there  as  a  goldsmith.  In  1607  he  made  various  objects  in  gold 
and  silver  for  the  Duke  of  Savoy.  In  the  same  year  he  was  summoned 
by  Duke  Ferdinand  de  Medici  to  Florence,  where  he  worked  for  two 
years.  In  the  years  161 3 -14  he  produced  medals  for  Mantua  and 
Guastalla,  and  about  the  same  time  he  executed  work  for  Carlo 
Emmanuele  I  of  Savoy.  He  committed  suicide  in  1640.  Though  we 
have  no  data  for  the  theory,  it  seems  not  unlikely  that  it  was  the  studio 
of  Mola  which  Breughel  has  represented  in  his  picture  of  Venus  at 
the  Forge  of  Vulcan.  The  ruins  in  the  background  certainly  suggest 
some  of  the  buildings  in  Rome,  which  might  have  been  used  for  this 
purpose.  There  are  also  many  medals  and  examples  of  goldsmith's 
work  shown  on  this  picture  in  addition  to  the  armour. 

He  was  an  expert  in  enamel-work  and  made  richly  decorated  pistols, 
and  in  1642  produced  a  fine  helmet  and  shield  which  are  now  in  the 
Bargello  Museum,  Florence. 


140        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Philippo  and lacomo  Negroli,  Philippo  and  Jacomo  Negroli  were  sons  of 
Milan,  arc.  1521-80.  Bernardino  who  worked  in  Rome.  It  is  un- 
Marks  42,  43,  44.  certain  whether  their  father  still  kept  the  name 
of  Missaglia,  which  was  used  by  Antonio  and  Thomaso  Negroni.  The 
earliest  known  work  by  these  masters  is  dated  1532.  For  some  years 
they  were  assisted  by  their  brother  Francesco,  who  left  them  about  this 
date  and  worked  alone  for  the  Mantuan  Court.  Brantome  and 
Vasari  both  mention  Philip  as  being  a  craftsman  of  very  high  repute. 
His  armour  was  always  very  costly,  and  Brantome  states  that  a  morion 
made  by  him  would  cost  40  thalers  and  that  in  sixteen  years  he  had 
amassed  50,000  thalers.  He  seems  to  have  been  ennobled,  for  Brantome 
calls  him  Seigneur  de  Negroli.  He  had  a  house  in  the  Porta  Comassina, 
the  wealthy  quarter  of  Milan.  His  work  is  always  ornate,  but  does 
not  transgress  the  craft-laws  to  such  an  extent  as  did  the  armour  of 
Peffenhauser  and  Piccinino  (Plate  XXIX).  Work  by  the  Negrolis  is 
to  be  found  as  follows:  In  Madrid,  A,  139—46;  D,  13,  30,  64. 
Vienna,  330.    Paris,  G,  7,  10,  178. 

Anton  Peffenhauser,  We  have  no  details  of  the  life  of  this  crafts- 

Augsburg,  1 525-1 603.      man  beyond  the  dates  of  his  birth  and  death. 

He  is  best  known  as  the  maker  of  elaborately 
decorated  armour.  The  suit  made  for  King  Sebastian  of  Portugal  (Madrid, 
A,  290)  is  one  of  the  most  ornate  suits  in  existence  (Plate  XIV,  also 
p.  75).  His  works  are  found  as  follows:  Madrid,  A,  290.  Dresden, 
C,  10,  13,  i5<^,  20;  D,  II  ;  E,  6^,  10;  G,  146.   Vienna,  489,  490. 

Lucio  Piccinino,  Lucio  was  the  son  of  Antonio  Piccinino,  the 

Milan,  circ.  1590.         famous  sword-smith.    It  is  uncertain  whether 

he  actually  produced  armour  himself  or 
whether  he  was  solely  concerned  with  the  decoration.  Like  Peffen- 
hauser he  delighted  in  lavish  display  of  ornament  without  any  considera- 
tion to  its  fitness  for  armour.  His  work  is  extraordinarily  minute  and 
the  technical  skill  displayed  is  extreme.  His  work  is  only  to  be  found 
at  Madrid,  A,  291-4,  and  at  Vienna,  543. 

,  The  son  of  a  noted  craftsman,  Pompeo  was 

Pompeo  aella  Chiesa,  r    i      r  •       1  1 

Milan  1590  roremost  armourers  m  the  latter 

years  of  the  sixteenth  century.    He  was  Court 


8HORT  BIOGRAPHIES 


141 


Armourer  to  Philip  III  of  Spain,  and  to  the  Archduke  of  Milan, 
Alessandro  Farnese.  His  work  is  found  in  the  Armeria  Reale,  Turin, 
C,  21,  70  ;  in  Vienna,  858,  859. 


Conrad,  Hans,  and  Jorg 
Seusenhofer,  1 47  o- 1 5  5  5 . 
Marks  7,  8. 


The  brothers  Conrad  and  Hans  at  different 
periods  filled  the  position  of  Court  Armourer 
to  Maximilian  I.  Conrad  was  born  between  the 
years  1450  and  1460.  He  was  cousin  to  Treytz,  who  produced  the  Weisz 
Kiinig^  that  chronicle  of  the  doings  and  artistic  endeavours  of  the  young 
Maximilian  which,  while  it  is  amusing  in  its  sycophantic  adulation  of 
the  Emperor  is,  at  the  same  time,  an 
invaluable  record  of  the  operations  of  the 
applied  arts  of  the  period  and  of  cos- 
tumes and  armour  then  in  fashion. 

In  1 504  Conrad  was  appointed  Court 
Armourer  for  a  period  of  six  years  with 
a  further  agreement  for  a  pension  of  50  fl. 
afterwards  for  life.  In  the  same  year  he 
received  money  for  enlarging  his  work- 
shops, but  after  much  correspondence  it 
was  deducted  from  his  salary.  The 
young  Emperor  had  theories  about  the 
making  of  armour  as  he  had  about  every 
other  art  and  craft,  and  working  in  con- 
junction with  his  armourer,  and,  pre- 
sumably, taking  credit  for  his  craftsman's 
expert  knowledge,  evolved  the  fluted 
style  of  plate  armour  which  still  bears 
his  name.  It  was  based  upon  Italian 
models  of  the  Gothic  type  which,  at  the 
end  of  the  fifteenth  century,  was  distinguished  by  certain  graceful 
flutings  which  Conrad  and  his  master  elaborated  till  they  covered  the 
whole  surface  of  the  armour. 

At  this  time  the  craftsmen  of  Brussels  were  noted  experts  in  the 
tempering  of  steel,  and  both  Maximilian  and  Henry  VIII  employed 
ironworkers  from  this  city  in  their  armouries. 


Fig.  67,  Engraving  on  the  left  cuisse  of 
Henry  VIII's  Suit,  made  by  Conrad 
Seusenhofer  (Tower,  II,  5). 


142        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Much  of  the  raw  material  was  drawn  from  Styria,  and  was  exported 
in  such  large  quantities  to  England  that  the  supply  was  in  danger  of 
running  short ;  so  a  monopoly  was  established  and  exportation  forbidden. 
This  naturally  raised  the  price,  and  was  one  of  the  many  causes  which 
combined  to  keep  up  a  ceaseless  friction  between  Maximilian,  his  Diet, 
and  his  armourers. 

Seusenhofer  favoured  elaborate  ornament  on  his  armour,  and  this 
did  not  please  the  officials  who  were  responsible  for  the  equipment  of 
the  army.  He  was  urged  to  produce  plainer  and  more  serviceable 
work,  a  suggestion  which  Maximilian  with  his  love  of  pageantry  ignored. 
In  1 5 1 1  we  find  Seusenhofer  complaining  that  Kiigler,  the  mine- 
master,  was  sending  him  inferior  metal,  and  as  he  considered  that  the 
use  of  it  would  be  detrimental  to  the  reputation  of  Innsbruck  as  a 
factory  of  armour,  he  suggested  that  it  should  be  classed  as  Milanese. 
In  151 1  the  famous  Engraved  Suit,"  now  in  the  Tower  of  London, 
was  put  in  hand  as  a  present  from  Maximilian  to  Henry  VIII. 

From  the  State  Archives  of  Innsbruck  (Jahrbuch  II,  reg.  1028)  we 
find  that  two  cuirasses  were  ready  for  the  King  of  England,  one  gilded. 
There  were  apparently  five  others  to  be  made,  one  of  which  was  to  be 
silvered.    This  was  probably  the  suit  above  mentioned. 

The  whole  of  the  suit  is  covered  with  fine  engraving  representing 
the  stories  of  S.  George  and  S.  Barbara,  with  foliage  and  heraldic 
badges.  The  designs  have  been  engraved  and  a  detailed  description 
given  by  Sir  S.  Meyrick  in  ^rchceologia^  XXII. 

The  horse-armour  is  not  by  the  same  hand,  for  the  engraving  is 
coarser.  It  may  have  been  executed  in  England  by  German  craftsmen 
to  match  the  rider's  armour  (see  Plates  X,  XII,  Fig.  67). 

There  were  ceaseless  troubles  over  the  payment  and  delivery  of  work 
from  the  royal  workshop.  Sometimes  Seusenhofer  would  retain  work 
for  which  the  Emperor  had  pressing  need  till  payment  was  made,  and 
on  one  occasion,  when  speedy  delivery  was  not  made,  Maximilian 
ordered  the  armourers  to  be  placed  in  the  forefront  of  the  battle,  with 
no  armour  on,  to  show  them  what  inconvenience  their  delay  was  caus- 
ing !  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  armour  was  delivered  at  once.  So 
obsessed  with  the  idea  of  his  omniscience  was  the  Emperor  that  when, 
in  the  Weisz  Kilnig^  Seusenhofer  suggests  some  secret  method  of  work- 


SHORT  BIOGRAPHIES 


143 


ing  the  metal,  he  repUes  :  "Arm  me  according  to  my  own  wishes,  for  it 
is  I  and  not  you  who  will  take  part  in  the  tournament."  Again,  Maxi- 
milian writes :  "If  you  have  forgotten  the  art  which  I  have  taught  you 
let  me  know  and  I  will  instruct  you  again." 

The  date  of  Conrad's  death  is  unknown,  but  it  was,  as  far  as  can 
be  ascertained,  about  the  year  15  17. 

He  was  succeeded  as  Court  Armourer  by  his  younger  brother 
Hans,  and  he  in  turn  gave  place  to  his  nephew  Jorg,  who  produced 
the  suits  which  exist  at  the  present  day  in  Paris,  G,  41,  117  ;  Vienna, 
283,  407.  The  only  authentic  work  of  Conrad  is  in  the  Tower  of 
London,  II,  5. 

Jacob  To  f  have  but  little  information  respecting 

Innsbruck  1530-90        Topf,  in  spite  of  the  minute  researches  of  the 

late  Dr.  Wendelin  Boeheim.  From  civic  records 
at  Innsbruck  he  appears  to  have  been  one  of  three  brothers.  David, 
the  youngest,  was  in  service  with  Archduke  Ferdinand  at  Ambras  and 
died  in  1594.  In  1575  we  find  Jacob  working  for  the  Archduke  at 
Innsbruck.  Boeheim  discovered  in  his  investigations  that  Topf  was 
absent  from  Germany  between  the  years  1562  and  1575  and  was  probably 
employed  in  Italy,  England,  and  elsewhere.  There  are  no  records  of 
his  employment  in  England  except  in  a  letter  written  by  Sir  Henry  Lee 
in  1590,  where  mention  is  made  of  "  Master  Jacobe,"^  who  is  now  con- 
sidered to  be  Topf.  We  have,  however,  a  most  valuable  record  of  work 
which  was  in  all  probability  his  in  the  Almain  Armourer  s  Alburn^ 
now  in  the  Art  Library  of  the  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum. 

This  book  consists  of  large  drawings  in  ink  and  water-colour 
(17  in.  by  i  i^in.),  thirty-one  in  number,  which  show  twenty-nine  suits 
of  armour  with  details  of  extra  pieces  for  the  joust. 

On  No.  14  is  the  signature:  "These  Tilte  peces  made  by  me 
Jacobe,"  but  the  name  Topf  does  not  occur  in  the  Album. 

In  the  year  1790  the  book  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Duchess  of 
Portland,  at  which  time  Pennant  engraved  the  second  suit  of  Robert 
Dudley,  Earl  of  Leicester,  for  his  History  of  London.  Strutt  also  en- 
graved the  suit  of  George,  Earl  of  Cumberland,  in  hi?,  Dresses  and  Costumes 
(II,  Plate  CVLI).   The  library  of  the  Duchess  of  Portland  was  sold  in 

^  See  page  66. 


144 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


1 and  the  Album  disappeared  till  the  year  1 894,  when  it  passed  into 
the  Spitzer  Collection.  At  the  Spitzer  sale  it  was  bought  by  M.  Stein, 
of  Paris,  and  on  the  advice  and  through  the  personal  efforts  of  Viscount 
Dillon,  the  present  Curator  of  the  Tower  Armouries,  it  was  acquired 
for  the  nation. 

Several  of  the  drawings  have  been  carefully  reproduced  by  Mr. 
Griggs  in  a  book,  edited  by  Viscount  Dillon,  under  the  title  of 
^Imain  Armourer  s  ^Ibum^  and  it  is  by  the  courtesy  of  the  editor 
and  publisher  that  the  accompanying  illustrations  are  reproduced  in  the 
present  work. 

The  following  list  gives  the  complete  series  of  plates  in  the  Album  and 
shows  which  of  the  suits  illustrated  in  the  original  are  now  in  existence. 


Drawings 

1.  The  Earle  of  Rutlande. 

2.  The  Earle  of  Bedforde. 
The  Earle  of  Lesseter  (ist  suit). 
The  Earle  of  Sussex 


Suits  in  Existence 
(None  complete  in  all  parts.) 


3- 
4- 


The  gauntlets  were  in  the  Spitzer  Col- 
lection. 


5.  Duke  John  of  ffineland  Prince  of 

Sweden. 

6.  Ser  William  Sentle. 

7.  My  Lorde  Scrope. 

8.  The  Earle  of  Lesseter  (2nd  suit) 

9.  My  Lord  Hundson. 

10.  Ser  George  Howarde. 

1 1.  My  Lorde  Northe. 

12.  The  Duck  of  Norfocke. 
1 1.  The  Earle  of  Woster 


14.  Ser  Henry  Lee  (ist  suit). 

15.  Sur  Cristofer  Hattone  (ist  suit) 


A  portion  of  a  suit  in  the  Tower  of 
London  (II,  10)  is  of  very  similar  de- 
sign— evidently  by  the  same  hand. 


A  portion  of  this  suit  in  the  Tower  (II, 
9).  At  Windsor  Castle  a  burgonet, 
bufFe,  breast,  back,  placcate,  gorget, 
bevor,  taces,  lance-rest,  sollerets. 

Windsor  Castle.  The  gorget  is  a  restora- 
tion (Plates  XXV,  XXVI). 


SHORT  BIOGRAPHIES 


145 


Drawings 


1 6.  The  Earle  of  Penbrouke 

17.  Ser  Cristofer  Hattone  (2nd  suit) 

18.  Ser  John  Smithe  . 


19.  Sr.  Henry  Lee,  Mr.  of  tharmerie 
(2nd  suit). 


20.  The  Earle  of  Cumberlande  . 

21.  Sr.  Cristopher  Hatton  (3rd  suit). 

22.  Mr.  Macke  Williams. 

23.  My   L.  Chancellor    [Sir  Thomas 

Bromley]. 

24.  My  L.  Cobbon. 

25.  Sir  Harry  Lea  Mr.  of  the  Armore 

(3rd  suit). 


26.  My  Lorde  Cumpton 


27.  Mr.  Skidmur  [John  Scudamor]. 

28.  My  Lorde  Bucarte 

29.  Sr.  Bale  Desena. 


Suits  in  Existence 
(None  complete  in  all  parts.) 

Wilton  House. 

The  suit  of  Prince  Henry  at  Windsor 
was  copied  from  this  and  from  No. 
17  by  W.  Pickering  (see  Plate  XX). 

Tower,  II,  12.  This  suit  has  brassards 
which  are  not  shown  in  the  sketch  in 
the  Album  (Plates  XXVI,  XXVIII). 

Armet  in  the  Tower  (IV,  29).  Locking- 
gauntlet  in  the  Hall  of  the  Armourers' 
and  Braziers'  Co.,  London  (Plate  XIII, 
Figs.  32,  68).  Burgonet,  bufFe,  and 
leg-armour  at  Stockholm. 

Appleby  Castle. 


Hall  of  the  Armourers  and  Braziers' 
Company,  London.  On  each  side  of 
the  breast  in  the  band  of  engraving 
are  the  initials  A.  V.  (Fig,  69),  which 
probably  stand  for  Anne  Vavasour, 
natural  daughter  of  Sir  T.  Vavasour 
and  Lady  of  the  Bedchamber  to  Queen 
Elizabeth.  The  Nat.  Diet,  of  Biog. 
states  that  she  was  Sir  Henry  Lee's 
mistress. 

Portions  of  this  and  of  the  next  suit  were 
formerly  at  Home  Lacy  and  are  now 
in  the  Metropolitan  Museum,  New 
York. 

Wallace  Collection,  435. 


There  is  also  a  suit  at  Vienna  (491),  made  for  Archduke  Carl  of 
Steiermark,  which  Boeheim  considered  to  be  from  Topf's  hands. 
19 


146        THE  AHMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Fuller  details  of  the  above  suits  will  be  found  in  the  reproduction 
of  the  Album  above  referred  to,  and  also  in  ^rch,  yourn.^  LI,  113. 


Fig.  68.    Gauntlet  and  armet  of  Sir  Henry  Lee  (from  the  Armourer's  Album, 
Victoria  and  Albert  Museum).    See  also  Plate  XIII  and  Fig.  32. 


Fig.  69.  Rubbing  of 
design  on  breast  of 
Sir  Henry  Lee's 
suit,  Armourers' 
Hall,  London. 


LIST  OF  ARMOURERS'  MARKS 


THE  following  have  been  taken  from  rubbings,  drawings,  and 
prints,  and  the  authorship  of  the  marks  is  that  given  in  the 
several  catalogues.  The  nationality  of  the  armour  is  given  first 
as  German,  Italian,  Spanish,  or  French  ;  following  this  is  the  approximate 
date  ;  and  lastly  the  Museums  in  which  the  mark  is  found  with  the 
catalogue  number.  The  Roman  figures  denote  the  century  to  which 
the  mark  is  ascribed. 

A = Athens,  Ethnological  Mus. 

B  =  Brussels,  Porte  de  Hal. 
Ber= Berlin,  Zeughaus. 

D  =  Dresden,  Johanneum. 

G= Geneva. 

L= London,  Tower. 

M  =  Madrid,  Real  Armeria. 

N  =  Nuremberg. 

P  =  Paris,  Musee  dArtillerie. 

S  =  Stockholm,  Lifrustkammer. 

T  =  Turin,  Armeria  Reale. 

V= Vienna,  WafFensammlung. 
Ven= Venice,  Museo  civico  and  Arsenale. 


147 


lO 


13 


14 


15 


16 


9  0 


19 


20 


21 


22 


4 


25 


26  27 


31 


32 


33 


34 


37  38 


39 


40 


43 


48 


49 


RonlRon 


50 

Armourers'  Marks. 


17 


23 


28  29 


35 


9   0    ti  Q 


41 


44  46  46 


51 


LIST  OF  ARMOURERS'  MARKS  149 


1.  XIV.    P,  H,  23. 

2.  XV.    P,  H,  27. 

3.  XV.  P,H,4i. 

4.  Germ.,  XV.    P,  G,  I. 

5.  XV.    P,  H,  36. 

6.  Rotschmied,  Germ.    1597.  G. 

7.  Conrad  Seusenhofer,  Germ.    1518.     L,  II,  5. 

8.  Jorg  Seusenhofer,  Germ,    1558.    V,  283,  407.    P,  G,  41,  117. 

9.  Valentine  Siebenbiirger,  Germ.    1531-47.    V,  226. 

10.  Germ.,  XV.    P,  H,  11. 

11.  Germ.,  XV-XVI.    P,  H,  42. 

12.  It.,  XVI.    P,  H,  55,  305. 

13.  It.,  XVI.    P,  H,  54. 

14.  Germ.,  XVI.    P,  G,  23. 

15.  Adrian  Treytz,  Germ.    1469-1517.    V,  66,  1018. 

16.  Veit,  Germ.,  XV-XVI.    N,  V. 

17.  Wilhelm  von  Worms,  Germ.,  XVI.    V,  226,  296. 

18.  Merate  brothers.  It.     1495.    V,  917- 

19.  Germ.,  XV-XVI.    P,  G,  18. 

20.  F.  Siebenburger,  Germ.,  XVI.    P,  G,  22,  568. 

21.  Germ.,  XVI-XVII.    P,  H,  166.    D,  E,  556  (see  also  97). 

22.  City  of  Augsburg,  XV-XVII  passim. 

23.  Lorenz  Colman  or  Helmschmied,  1516.    P,  G,  536  ;  V,  1005. 

24.  Antonio  da  Missaglia,  It.    1492  passim  (see  also  36). 

25.  Antonio  da  Missaglia. 

26.  Antonio  da  Missaglia. 

27.  Petrajolo  and  Tomaso  da  Missaglia.    1400-68.    V,  2,  3,  897  ;  P,  H,  29  (see  also  No.  78). 

28.  Germ.,  XVI.    P,  H,  158. 

29.  Germ.,  XV-XVI.    P,  G,  382. 

30.  Sigismund  Wolf,  Germ.    1554.    P,  G,  63,  64,  etc.  ;  M,  A,  231. 

31.  It.  (?),  XVI.    P,  G,  36. 

32.  Germ.,  XVI.    P,  G,  147,  H,  97. 

33.  It.,  XV.    A  (possibly  a  Missaglia  mark,  see  No.  24). 

34.  It.,  XV.  A. 

35.  It.,  XV.    M,  D,  14. 

36.  Antonio  da  Missaglia,  It.,  XV-XVI.    P,  H,  29. 

37.  XVI.    P,  G,  84. 

38.  Matthaias  Fraiienpreis,  Germ.    1549-75.    V,  397,  950  ;  D,  G,  39. 

39.  Franz  Grofsschedl,  Germ.     1568.    V,  989  ;  D,  C,  i,  2. 

40.  Coleman  Colman  or  Helmschmied,  Germ.    1470-1532.   V,  175  ;  D,  G,  15;        A,  19,  59,  73,  etc. 

41.  Lorenz  Colman  or  Helmschmied,  Germ.    1516.    V,  62  (see  also  No.  23). 

42.  Philipp  Negroli,  It.        1530-90.1^  ^  6    p  6 

43.  Phihpp  and  Jacomo  Negroli  „  »    '    oi*  t  '     i    j>  o  >  t 

44.  Philipp  and  Jacomo  Negroli  (?).    P,  G,  7,  10,  178. 

45.  City  of  Nuremberg,  XV-XVII  passim. 

46.  Kunz  or  Conrad  Lochner,  Germ.    1567.    V,  334  ;  P,  G,  182,  etc.;  M,  A,  243  ;  S,  64. 

47.  Heinrich  Obresch,  Germ.  1590. 

48.  Anton  PefFenhauser,  Germ.    1566-95.    V,  489  ;  M,  A,  290. 

49.  Hans  Ringter,  Germ.    1560.  V. 

50.  XVI-XVII.    P,  G,  124. 

51.  Possibly  the  Merate  brothers,  It.  XV-XVI.    V,  60  ;  L,  VI,  28  ;  M,  A,  3. 

52.  Germ.,  XVI.    V,  9. 


54 


55 


56 


'•VS  ^ 


60 


61 


62 


66 


67 


68 


m  IT 


72 


73 


74 


78 


79 


83 


84 


85 


89 


90 


91 


95 


96 


97 


lOI  I02  I03 

Armourers'  Marks. 


57 


63 


@ 


69 


75 


80 


86 


92 


98 


I04 


LIST  OF  ARMOURERS'  MARKS 


151 


53.  Possibly  the  Merate  brothers,  It.,  XV-XVI.    V,  948. 

54.  Possibly  Hans  Gu'mewalt,  Germ.,  XV-XVI.    V,  66,  995. 

55.  It.,  XV.    V,  5- 

56.  J.  Voys,  Netherland,  XV-XVI.    B,  II,  39,  40  ;  M,  A,  11 

57.  XV.    M.A,  4. 

58.  XV.  M,A,6. 

59.  On  a  mail  skirt,  XV-XVI.    T,  G,  86. 

60.  Peter  von  Speyer,  Germ.,  1560.  Ber. 

61.  It.,  XV.  Gen. 

62.  It.,  XV.  Gen. 

63.  Germ.,  XV-XVI.    P,  H,  76. 

64.  It.,  XV.  Gen. 

65.  Germ.,  XVI.    V,  63. 

66.  It.,  XV-XVI.    Ven.  Mus.  civico. 

67.  It.,  XVI.    Ven.  Arsenate. 

68.  On  a  sallad  with  Missaglia  mark.  It.,  XV.    Ven.  Mus.  civico. 

69.  Germ.,  XVI.    B,  II,  loi. 

70.  Germ.,  XV-XVI.    V,  1022. 

71.  Armourers'  Company,  London,  XVII.  L. 

72.  Germ.,  XV.    D,  A,  75. 

73.  Netherlands,  XV.    D,  A,  75. 

74.  Siebenburger  (?),  Germ.,  XVI.    B,  II,  92. 

75.  It.,  XVI.    M,  A,  147. 

76.  Jorg  Sigman,  Germ.,  XVI.    M,  A,  238. 

77.  It.,  XV.  A. 

78.  T.  and  P.  da  Missaglia,  It.,  1400-1468.    P,  H,  29  ;  V,  2,  3  ;  L,  II,  29  (see  Nos.  24-7). 

79.  Sigmund  Rosenburger,  Germ.  XVI.     D,  C,  3,  4. 

80.  City  of  Augsburg  (?),  XVI.  D.^ 

81.  City  of  Augsburg  (?),  XVI  passim. 

82.  Germ.,  XVI.  D. 

83.  M.  Petit.  Fr.  XVII.    P,  H,  150;  V,  711  ;  M,  A,  379. 

84.  Sp.,  XV.    M,  D,  24. 

85.  It.,  XV.  A. 

86.  It.,  XV.  A. 

87.  XVII.    M,  B,  II  ;  T,  C,  14. 

88.  XV.    P,  H,  141. 

89.  Germ.,  XV-XVI.    L,  II,  37. 

90.  XVI.    L,  III,  186. 

91.  Germ.,  XVI.    L,  II,  3. 

92.  Sp.,  XV.    M,  C,  10. 

93.  Sp.,  XV.    M,  C,  10. 

94.  It.,  XV.  A. 

95.  XV.    M,  D,  18. 

96.  Germ.,  XV.    B,  II,  170. 

97.  Germ.,  XVI.    B,  II,  182  ;  D,  E,  556  (see  also  No.  21);  S,  on  a  crossbow,  143. 

98.  Germ.,  XVI.    B,  II,  30. 

99.  Germ.,  XVI.    B,  II,  3. 

100.  Possibly  the  city  of  Wittenburg,  XVI.     B,  II,  4,  41. 

101.  Sp.,  XV.    M,  C,  10. 

102.  Sp.,  XV.    M,  C,  10. 

103.  It.,  XV.  A. 

104.  Germ.  XV.  V. 

1  A  similar  mark  was  used  by  the  Armourers'  Company,  London,  about  1640. 


POLYGLOT  GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS  DEALING  WITH 

ARMOUR  AND  WEAPONS 


The  meanings  of  the  words  in  this  Glossary  are  given  either  from  comparison 
of  various  scattered  entries  in  contemporary  documents  or  from  the  following 
works  : — 

Boeheim.    Waffenl{unde.  1890. 

Cotgrave.    Dictionarie  of  the  French  and  English  Tongues,     161 1.  C. 
Du  Cange.    Glossaire  Frangais.    Edit.  1879. 
Florio.    A  Worlde  of  Woordes.     1598.  F. 

Gay.    G/oiJ^^/r^- y^rt/^^Vo^/^«^,  A-G  (never  completed).     1887.  G. 
Harford.    English  Military  Discipline.     1680.  H. 
Meyrick.    Antient  Armour  (glossary).  1842. 
Roquefort.    Glossaire  de  la  Langue  Romaine.     1808.  R. 
Valencia  Catalogue  of  Real  Armeria^  Madrid. 

Where  no  reference  letter  is  given  the  meaning  given  is  that  generally  accepted 
at  the  present  day. 

The  names  of  the  different  parts  of  the  suit  of  plate  armour  are  given  in  English, 
French,  German,  and  Italian  and  Spanish  are  given  on  pp.  iio,  iii. 


Abzttg,  Germ,  the  trigger  of  a  gun. 
Achsel,  Germ,  see  pauldron. 
Achselhohlscheihe ,  Germ,  see  rondel. 
Achselschilde,  Germ,  see  ailette. 
Acroc,  a  hook  or  clasp. 
Adargue,  a  heart-shaped  buckler,  G. 
Affust,  I 

Afia,  }g"n-carnage. 
Agaric,  tinder  used  with  flint-lock  gun. 
Agier,  O.F.  darts. 

Aguinia,  machines  or  engines  of  war. 
Agu-zo,  It.  the  point  of  the  spear. 
Aiguilettes,  tags  at  the  ends  of  laces  for  fastening 

the  various  pieces  of  armour. 
AUettes,  wing-like  pieces  of  plate  or  cuir-bouilly 

worn  on  the  shoulders.    Very  rare  and  seldom 

seen  on  monuments.    XIII-XIV  cent. 
Aketon,  see  gambeson, 

20  153 


Alaharda,  It.  halberd. 

Alagiih,  Halagues,  O.F.  soldiers  of  fortune,  free- 
lances, R. 

Alarica,  a  heavy  triangular-pointed  spear. 
Alberc,  Germ,  see  hauberk. 
Alberia,  a  shield  without  armorial  bearings. 
Alborium,  a  bow  of  hazel,  XI  cent. 
Alemele,  Fr.  the  lame  or  blade  of  the  sword. 
Alemella,  It.  a  knife  or  dagger,  XIV  cent. 
Alfauge,  Sp.  cutlass. 
Alferamia,  Sp.  a  banner. 
Algier,  O.F.  dart. 

Allecret,  a  variety  of  half-armour,  end  of  XVI  cent. 

Almarada,  Sp.  a  stiletto  or  dagger. 

Almayne  rivet,  suit  of  light  half-armour,  XVI  cent. 

Almete,  Sp.  a  close,  round  helmet,  armet. 

Atzo,  It.  the  "  sight"  of  the  firearm. 

Amadue,  Fr.  see  agaric. 

Ameure,  a  dagger. 


154        THE  ARMOURER 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Amorce,  priming. 
Amorcoir,  Fr.  powder-flask. 

Amussette,  Fr.  a  breech-loading  musket,  XVIII  cent. 

Anelace,  a  broad-bladed  dagger,  early  XIV  cent. 

Afigon,  a  javelin  used  in  the  VI  cent.  The  head 
was  heavy  and  the  top  part  of  the  shaft  thin,  so 
that  it  bent  on  impact  and  thus  hampered  the 
stricken  man,  G. 

Atiimes,  a  cuirass  of  horizontal  lames,  R. 

Antehrachla,  see  vambrace. 

Antela,  see  poitrel. 

Antia,  the  handle  of  a  buckler. 

Anzerdecke,  Germ,  see  barde. 

Appogiar,  the  cantle  of  the  saddle. 

Arbalest,  a  crossbow. 

Arbalest  a  eric,  a  heavy  crossbow  used  in  sieges. 
Arbalest  a  cranequin,  a  crossbow  drawn  with  a 

windlass. 
Arbrier,  the  tiller  of  a  crossbow. 
Arcabuz,  Sp.  see  arquebus. 

Archet  de  fer,  the  moulded  ring  on  the  breech  of  a 

cannon,  base-ring. 
Archegaye,  a  staff  sharpened  at  both  ends  carried  by 

estradiots,  XV  cent. 
Archibuso,  It.  see  arquebus. 
Arcioni,  It.  the  fore  and  aft  peaks  of  the  saddle. 
Arcon,  the  saddle-bow. 
Arescuel,  the  grip  of  a  lance,  R. 
Arest  de  lance,  vamplate,  later  the  lance-rest,  G. 
Arganello,  It.  the  windlass  of  a  crossbow. 
Argolets,  French  mounted  arquebussiers,  X VI-XV II 

cent.,  R. 
Arma  b'tanca.  It.  ^ 
Artne  blanche,  Fr.  j 

Armacudium,  an  indefinite  weapon  of  offence. 
Arma  d^asta,  It.  any  long-shafted  weapon. 
Armatoste,  Sp.  the  windlass  of  a  crossbow. 
Amies  a  Vepreuve,  pistol-proof  armour. 
Armet,  a  close  helmet  with  bevor  and  movable 

visor. 
Armil,  see  surcoat. 

Armin,  an  ornamental  hand-grip  for  the  pike  made 

of  velvet  or  leather. 
Arming-honett ,  a  padded  cap  worn  under  the  helmet. 
Arming-doublet,  worn  under  the  armour. 
Arming-hose,  long  hose  worn  under  leg-armour. 
Arming-points,  laces  for  tying  on  parts  of  the  suit  of 

armour. 

Arming-sivord,  a  short  sword  worn  on  the  right 
side. 

Armkachen,  Germ,  elbow-cops. 


Armoyer,  O.F.  armourer,  maker  of  sword-hilts,  R. 

Armrdhen,  Germ,  cannon  of  the  vambrace. 

Armrust,  Germ,  crossbow. 

Armure  cannelee,  Fr.  fluted  armour. 

Armzeug,  Germ,  brassard. 

Arnesi,  It.  harness  as  used  for  "  armour." 

Arquebus,  a  musket  of  XVI  cent. 

Arret,  Fr.  small  decorated  tabs  used  on  straps  for 

armour  and  horse-furniture,  G. 
Arret  de  lance,  Fr.  lance-rest. 
Arriere-bras,  Fr.  see  rerebrace. 
Arr'iere-hilt ,  the  counter-guard  or  knuckle-bow  of 

the  sword. 

Asbergo,  a  breastplate  or  cuirass,  a  vamplate,  P. 

Asper,  aspar,  the  "  grip  "  of  the  lance. 

Asperges,  O.F.  a  mace,  R ;  see  holy-water  sprinkle. 

Astile,  It.  the  shaft  of  a  lance. 

Astonne,  a  lance,  R. 

Astregal,  a  moulding  on  a  cannon. 

Atilt,  the  position  in  which  the  lance  was  held  in 

charging. 
Attry,  O.E.  artillery. 
Auber,  see  alborium. 

Ausfatz,  Germ,  the  "  sight "  of  a  firearm. 
Avance,  Fr.  the  front  peak  of  the  burgonet. 
Avant-bras,  see  vambrace. 
Avant  plat,  see  vamplate. 

Aventail,  breathing  aperture  in  helmet,  the  earliest 

form  of  visor. 
Azz3l,  It.  a  long-shafted  axe. 

Azzimino,  It.  fine  inlay  work  on  Oriental  weapons, 
F. 

B 

Bacchetta,  It.  a  ramrod. 

Back-sivord,  sword  with  single-edged  blade. 

Bacul,  O.F.  crupper  of  horse-trappings,  R. 

Bacyn,  see  bascinet. 

Badelaire,  Fr.  a  short  cutlass. 

Bagonet,  \  a  dagger  fitted  to  the  musket,  circ. 
Bayonet,  /       1 67 2. 

Bagordare,  O.It.  to  hold  a  burlesque  tournament. 

Baguette,  ramrod,  also  brayette,  q.v. 

Bainbergs,  shin-defences  of  metal  or  cuir-bouilly. 

Baldrick,  \  an  ornamented  belt  to  carry  the  sword, 

Baivdric,  )     XIV  cent. 

Balestra,  It.  see  arbalest. 

Balloch  knife,  a  knife  or  dagger  with  balls  instead  of 

quillons,  XV-XVI  cent. 
Balayn,  \  whalebone  used  for  crests  or  the  swords 
Balon,   i    for  tourneys. 


POLYGLOT  GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS 


155 


Balottera,  a  stone  bow,  F. 

Banded  mail,  mail  formed  of  rings  through  which  a 
leathern  thong  was  passed  horizontally  on  the 
hauberk. 

Bandes,  Fr.  see  lames. 

Bandes  de  bout  d^affust,  trail-plate  of  a  cannon,  H. 

Bandes  de  dessus,  axle-tree  bands,  cape  squares,  H. 

Batidolier,  musketeer's  belt  to  carry  gun-charges  in 
separate  cases  of  wood  or  metal. 

Bannerets^  those  knighted  on  the  field  of  battle  and 
entitled  to  carry  banners. 

Banquelets,  Fr.  strips  of  decorated  metal  on  a  sword- 
belt  to  keep  the  belt  rigid,  6. 

Barbazzale,  It.  the  "  grummet  "  of  a  bridle. 

Barbera,  Sp.  see  mentoniere. 

Barb'iere,  Fr.  "| 

Barhote,  Sp.  >  see  bevor. 

Barbotto,  It.  J 

Barbuta,  a  piece  of  head-armour,  a  bevor,  F. 
BarbuteA  a.  form  of  bascinet  of  unknown  type,  also 
Barbet,  )     a  light  horseman. 
Bardes,  \ 

T>    J-     I  horse-armour. 
Harding,) 

Barde  de  criniere,  Fr.  see  crinet. 

Bardiche,  a  variety  of  pole-axe. 

Barducitim,  see  morning  star. 

Barthaube,  Germ,  chin-guard  of  plate. 

Barriers,  the  division  of  wood  which  separated  com- 
batants in  foot-jousts,  also  the  jousts  themselves. 

Bascinet,  a  light  helmet  of  ovoid  form  tapering  to  a 
point  at  the  summit,  worn  with  or  without  a 
visor,  XIII-XV  cent. 

Bascuette,  O.E.  see  bascinet. 

Base,  O.F.  a  short  sword  or  cutlass,  R. 

Bases,  skirts  of  fabric  or,  in  armour,  of  plate,  XVI 
cent. 

Basilard,  a  curved  civilian  sword,  XIV  cent. 
Bask  sword,  a  stout,  single-edged  blade. 
Bassinet,  Fr.  priming-pan  of  a  firelock. 
Bastard  sivord,  a  long  sword  for  cut  and  thrust 
with  grip  sufficiently  long  for  two  hands,  or  a 
blunted  sword  for  practice. 
Boston,  a  mace  or  club  with  polygonally  cut  head. 
Boston,  gros,  O.F.  large  ordnance,  R. 
Bottecul,  see  garde-rein. 
Batticuli,  taces  or  loin-guards  of  plate,  F. 
Bauchreifeuy  Germ,  see  taces. 
Baudik,  see  bald  rick. 
Baudrier,  Fr.  cross-belt. 
Bovier,  Fr.  "l 
Baviera,  It.  / 


see  bevor. 


Bergaman,  O.F.  a  cutlass  or  dagger  from  Bergamo, 
R. 

Bear-paiv,      \      ^  r  .11 

n     J  -  a  form  or  solleret  with  obtuse  pomt. 

Jjec  an  cane,  ] 

Becco  di  corvo.  It.  see  martel  de  fer. 
Bee  de  faucon,  Fr.  a  war-hammer. 
Beckenhaube,  Germ,  see  bascinet. 
Beinrdhren,  Germ,  see  jambe. 
Beintascheii,  Germ,  see  tassets. 
Beinzeug,  Germ,  see  cuissard. 
Beringt,  Germ,  ringed  mail. 

Beruier,  Fr.  a  light  head-piece  with  ear-flaps  and 

chin-strap,  XV  cent.,  6. 
Besagiies,  O.E.  small  plates  to  protect  the  armpits, 

any  small  plates  of  metal. 

Bessa,  a  pickaxe  used  by  pioneers,  XV  cent. 

Beavor,  \  , 
D  )  the  chin-piece  of  an  armet  or  a  sallad. 

Jjevor,    )  ' 

Bicoquet,  Fr.  a  species  of  bascinet  with  neck  and 

chin  piece,  XV  cent.,  G. 
Bicorn,  \ 

n-  I-       >  small  anvil. 
JtSickiron,  ) 

Bigateno,  O  F.  a  javelin  or  dart,  R. 
Bilbo,  a.  small  rapier. 

Bill,  a  weapon  with  scythe-like  blade  and  six-foot 
shaft. 

Billette,  F.,  see  toggle. 

Biro,  O.F.,  a  dart,  javelin,  or  arrow,  R. 

Bisacuta,         \  the  military  pick  or  two-edged  axe, 

Bisague,  O.F.,  i     XIII-XIV  cent. 

Bishops  mantle,  a  cape  of  mail. 

Blacon,  O.F.,  a  buckler  or  shield,  R. 

Blanc  haubert,  Fr.,  coat  of  mail. 

Blanchon,  O.F.,  a  kind  of  pike,  R. 

Blank  ivafte.  Germ.,  see  arme  blanche. 

Boetes,  boxes,  H. 

Bohordicum,  a  burlesque  joust  in  which  sham  lances 

(bohours)  were  used. 
Bombarde,  an  early  form  of  ordnance  resembling  a 

mortar. 
Bonbicinium,  see  bascinet. 
Bar  don,  \ 

Bordonasse,  \  a  lance  used  for  jousting. 
Borto,  I 

Boson,  an  arrow  with  a  blunt  point. 

Bossoirs,  the  bosses  on  the  peytral  of  a  horse. 

Botafogo,  Sp.  see  linstock. 

Botta  a.  It.  ^  armour  proof  against  sword,  axe,  or 
Botte  h,  Fr.  f     lance  blow. 

Botte  cassee,  Fr.,  armour  proof  against  all  weapons, 
"  high  proof." 


156        THE  ARMOURER 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Botton,  a  button  or  buckle  for  fastening  the  gorget 
to  the  breast-piece. 

Bouche,  the  hole  cut  in  the  corner  of  the  shield 
through  which  to  point  the  lance ;  also  the  cir- 
cular hole  in  the  vamplate. 

Boucles^  Fr.  see  genouilliere. 

Boudrier,  Fr.  see  bandolier. 


buckram  used  for  tournament  armour. 


Bougeran, 
Bougran 

^oujm  \  ^^^'^^"^^^'^^'^  arrow  for  shooting  game. 
Bougeon,\ 

Boujon,  V  a  crossbow  quarrel,  R. 
Boulon,  ] 

Bourdonasse,  Fr.  see  bordon. 
Bourlet,  Fr.  a  coif. 

Bourlet,  Fr.  the  swell  of  the  muzzle  of  a  cannon. 
Boiirlettf,  Fr.  a  mace. 

Bonrrelet,  a,  Fr.  a  method  of  attaching  two  plates 

together  sliding  in  burrs  or  slots. 
Boutefeu,  Fr.  linstock. 
Bouterolle,  Fr.  the  chape  of  a  sword. 
Boutreaux,  Fr.  the  pendent  strips  of  leather  or 

fabric  which  decorated  the  horse-trappings  of 

the  XV-XVI  cent.,  G. 
Bracdale,  It.  brassard. 

Bracciahiola,  It.  a  small  shield  with  arm-guard  and 

"sword-breaker"  in  one  piece. 
Bracciali,  It.  see  brassard. 
Braccoiimere,  Fr.  see  taces. 

Bracelet,  Fr.  the  ring  of  metal  which  joined  the 
vambrace  to  the  rerebrace,  the  elbow-cop,  C. 

Bracer,  a  leathern  wrist-guard  used  by  archers  of 

the  long-bow. 

Bracheta,  O.It.  I  , 

„     ,    '  \  see  brayette. 

Braghetta,  It.  ) 

Brafidistocco,  It.  a  three-pronged  spear,  a  swine- 
feather. 

Braquemart,  a  short,  broad-bladed  cutting  sword. 
Brasalot,  O.F.  see  elbow-cop. 

Brassard,  the  whole  arm-defence,  including  vam- 
brace, elbow-cop,  and  rerebrace. 

Brasselet,  see  bracer. 

Bratspiess,  Germ,  see  ranseur. 

Brayette,  O.F.  for  codpiece. 

Brazale,  Sp.  brassard. 

Brechenmesser,  Germ,  see  falcione. 

Brechr'dnder,  Germ,  neck-guards  on  the  pauldrons. 

Bretelles,  Fr.  straps  for  joining  breast  and  back  pieces. 

Briccola,  O.It.  a  tiller  or  crossbow  to  shoot  stones 
or  arrows,  F. 


Brichette,  armour  for  loins  and  hips. 
Brichette,  \ 

Brikette     j  '''^^^st-armour,  XV  cent. 

Briga/idine,  a  body-defence  of  small  plates  riveted 

to  a  cover  and  lining  of  fabric. 
Briquet,  Fr.  a  sword  of  cutlass  form,  early  XIX  cent. 
Brise-cuirass,  Fr.  a  short,  strong  dagger. 
Brise-epee,  Fr.  see  sword-breaker. 
Brochiero,  It.  a  small  buckler  used  for  sword  and 

buckler  fights. 
Broigne,  a  shirt  of  mail. 
Broke,  O.F.  a  kind  of  dagger,  R. 
Broquel,  Sp.  see  rondache. 
Brujula,  Sp.  see  visor. 

Brtmt,  O.E.  the  front  or  peytral  of  a  horse-trapper. 

Briistpatizer,  Germ,  see  peytral. 

Brnstschild  mit  schmhart.  Germ,  tilting-breastplate 

with  mentoniere. 
Brtiststuck,  Germ,  breastplate. 
Brygandyrojis ,  see  brigandine. 
Budriere,  It.  cross-belt  for  a  sword. 
Btife,  a  movable  bevor  used  with  an  open  casqe. 
Bufeta,  Sp.  neck-guards  on  a  pauldron. 
Buffa,  the  bufFe  or  face-plate  of  a  burgonet. 
Bufe,  a  coat  of  buff  leather. 
Buffetin,  Fr.  see  colletto. 
Burdo,  see  borto. 
Bukel,  Germ,  see  rondache. 
Burghera,  a  gorget,  F. 

Burgonet,  2l  light,  open  helmet,  generally  found 
with  ear-flaps  and  sometimes  a  face-guard,  XVI- 
XVII  cent. 

Burr,  the  iron  ring  on  the  lance  below  the  "grip" 

to  prevent  the  hand  slipping  back. 
Buttafuoco,  It.  see  linstock. 
Butteire,  Fr.  a  type  of  arquebus. 
Bu7,o,  It.  see  quarrel. 


Cahasset,  a  helmet  with  narrow  brim  all  round, 

XVI  cent. 

Cairelli,  O.It.  see  quarrel. 

Caissia,  It.  a  case  or  quiver  for  arrows. 

Cake,  the  vamplate  of  a  lance,  also  the  butt  end, 

also  stockings,  F. 
Caliver,  a  short  firelock. 

Calote,  a  skull-cap  worn  under  the  hat  by  cavalry, 

XVII  cent. 

Caltrop,  a  ball  with  four  spikes  placed  on  the 

ground  to  receive  cavalry. 
Calva,  Sp.  skull  or  bowl  of  a  helmet. 


POLYGLOT  GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS  i57 


Camaglio^  It.  see  camail. 

Camail,  a  hood  or  tippet  of  chain  mail,  XIV-XV 
cent. 

Camba,  O.It.  see  jambs. 
Camberia,  see  jambieres. 

Catnisado,  It.  the  wearing  of  white   shorts  over 

armour  for  night  attacks. 

^  /  O.F.  the  part  of  the  horse-trap- 

Lampaue,        )       .  ,     l        l      j  j 

^  „     \     pings  on  the  haunches,  decorated 

'     with  large  bells,  XV-XVI  cent. 

Cambrasia,  O.It.  a  dart  or  arrow,  F. 

Catimti,  the  tubular  vambrace. 

Cantle,  the  rear  peak  of  the  saddle. 

Capel  de  tierfs,  a  whalebone  or  leather  helmet,  XIV 

cent. 

Capelina,  It.  a  skull-cap  of  steel. 
Capellum,  the  sword  sheath  or  scabbard. 
Capertiza,  Sp.  see  chapel-de-fer. 
Carcasse,  Fr.  a  bomb. 
Carcasse,  It.  a  quiver. 
Cardelli,  It.  see  quarrel. 
Cargau,  a  collar  or  gorget  of  mail. 
Cornet,  the  visor. 

Carosella,  \  ^  j^jj^j^  fight  with  clay  balls  and  shields. 
Lar ousel,  ]  °  ■' 

Carquois,  Fr.  a  quiver. 

Carreau,  Fr,  see  quarrel. 

Cartouche,  Fr.,  a  charge  of  powder  and  shot  wrapped 

up  in  paper  ;  a  cartridge. 
Casque,  open  helmet,  often  of  classical  design,  late 

XVI  cent. 

Casquetel,  an  open  head-piece  with  brim  and  back 

peak  reaching  far  down  the  neck,  XVII  cent. 

Cassa^  It.  the  stock  of  a  firearm. 

Castle,  O.E.  a  variety  of  helmet. 

Cataffratto,  \  -i    i  j  i 

^      ,  fa  mail-clad  horse. 

Lataphraclus  eques,  ' 

Cataye,  O.F.  a  javelin  or  a  catapult,  R. 

Catchpole^z  long-handled  spring  fork  used  to  catch  the 

opposing  knight  round  the  neck  and  unhorse  him. 
Catocio,   the   charge   of   powder   for  musket  or 

cannon,  F. 

Caxeo,  1  c: 

\  bp.  see  casque. 
Caxa,  f 

Cazo/eia,  Sp.  the  "pan"  of  the  arquebus. 

Celada  de  eugole,  Sp.  a  helm  worn  for  foot-jousts  with 

axe,  sword,  or  spear. 
Celata,  It.  see  sallad. 
Celata  da  incastro.  It.  see  armet. 
Celata  V etieziam.  It.  a  Venetian  form  of  sallad  with 

a  nose-piece,  XV  cent. 


Cerbata?ie,  some  kind  of  ordnance,  G. 
Cerveliera,  It.  a  metal  skull-cap,  a  secrete. 
Cervicale,  Fr.  see  crinet,  G. 

Cesello,  It.  repousse-work  used  in  the  decoration  of 

armour. 
Chamfron^  "j 

Chanfrehi,  \  defence  of  plate  for  the  horse's  head. 
Chatifron,  ) 

Champ-clos,  O.F.  see  lists. 

Chape,  the  metal  tip  at  the  lower  end  of  a  sword  or 

dagger  sheath. 
Chapel  deader,  Fr.  a  steel  war-hat. 
Chapel-de-fer,  Fr.  a  broad-brimmed  helmet  used 

from  XII  to  XVI  cent. 
Chapel  de  Montaubaii,  Fr.  a  steel  war-hat  made  at 

Montauban,  XIV  cent. 
Chapeive,  see  chapel-de-fer. 
Chapras,  the  brass  badge  worn  by  a  messenger. 
Chard,  the  string  of  a  sling. 

Chartiel,  O.E.  the  bolt  that  fixed  the  tilting-helm  to 

the  breastplate. 
Chausses,  covering  for  the  lower  leg  and  foot  of 

chain  mail. 

Chaussons,  trews  or  breeches  of  chain  mail. 
Cheeks,  the  strips  of  iron  that  fix  the  pike-head  to 

the  shaft. 
Cheminee,  Fr.  the  nipple  of  a  gun. 
Cherval,  a  gorget. 
Chastoties,  rivets. 
Chianetta,  a  helmet,  F. 
Chiave  da  mota.  It.  key  for  a  wheel-lock. 
Chien,  Fr.,  cock  of  a  firelock. 
Ch'iodo  da  voltare,  It.  a  turning-rivet. 
Choque,  some  kind  of  firearm,  variety  unknown. 
C'tmier,  the  crest  on  the  helm. 

Cinquedea,  It.  a  short,  broad  -  bladed  dagger  for 
ceremonial  use,  made  in  Venice  and  Verona,  five 
fingers  {cinque  ditta)  wide  at  the  base. 

Ciseau,  a  blunt-headed  quarrel  for  the  crossbow,  G. 

Clavel,  O.F.,  a  lace  for  fastening  the  coif  of  mail 
or  the  hauberk,  G. 

Clavones,  rivets. 

Claid  heamh,  a  sword,  Gaelic. 

Claid  mor^  a  broadsword,  Gaelic. 

Claid  crom,  a  sabre,  Gaelic. 

Claid  caol,  a  small  sword,  Gaelic. 

Claymore,  a  Scottish  two-hand  sword  (see 
above).  The  modern  use  of  the  word  is 
erroneous. 

Clef,  trigger. 

Clevengi,  studs  to  fasten  the  fendace  or  gorget. 


158        THE  ARMOURER 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Clibanion,  a  jack  of  scale  armour,  G. 
Clipeus,  It.  a  circular  shield. 

Clous  perdus,  Fr.,  false  and  useless  rivet-heads  found 

in  XVII-cent.  armour. 
Cnemide,  Fr.  see  jambs. 

Cache,  the  notch  of  an  arrow,  the  nut  of  a  cross- 
bow, C. 

Coda  di  gambero,  It.  see  lobster-tail. 
Codole,  Sp.  elbow-cop. 

Codpiece,  a  piece  of  plate  to  protect  the  fore-body. 
Coif  de  mailes,  hood  of  chain  mail,  see  camail. 
Colichemarde,  swords  invented  by  Kbnigsmark  about 

1661-86. 
Colet,  ) 

Coletin,   >  Fr.  a  gorget,  also  a  jerkin, 
Collettin,  ) 

Colletto,  It.  a  buff  coat. 
Collo,  It.  see  crinet. 

Colodrillo,  Sp.  the  plate  of  the  helmet  that  covered 

the  nape  of  the  neck. 
Coltellaccio,  It.  see  cutlass. 
Cophia,  a  coif  of  mail. 
Coppo,  It.  the  skull  of  a  helm  or  helmet. 
Corale,  see  cuisses. 
Coracina,  Sp.  cuirass. 
Corium,  armour  composed  of  leather. 
Cornel,    \  O.E.  the  rosette  or  button  fixed  on  the 
Coromll, )    tip  of  the  lance  in  some  forms  of  tilting. 
Corpel,  O.F.  the  hilt  of  a  sword,  R. 
Corregge,  It.  see  bretelles. 
Corseque,  Fr.  a  species  of  partizan,  G. 
Corsesca,  It.  see  ranseur. 
Cosciale,  \ 

Coscioni,  \  see  cuissard. 
Costale,  J 

Coscheives,  O.E.  see  cuisses. 

Costa,  It.  the  wings  on  the  head  of  the  war-mace. 

Coat-armour,  see  surcoat. 

Coterel,  O.F.  a  large  knife,  R. 

Cotta  di  maglia.  It.  a  coat  of  mail. 

Cottyngyre,  cold-chisel. 

Coude,  ^ 

Coudiere,  V  elbow-pieces  of  plate. 
Coute,  ) 

Coup  de  poing,  Fr.  a  small  pistol. 

Coursel,  Fr.  windlass  for  a  crossbow,  G. 

Coussart,  a  demi-glaive,  XV  cent. 

Coustile,  Fr.  a  knife  and  possibly  a  staff-weapon 

with  cutting  point,  G. 
Coustil  a  croc,  \  short,  single-handed   sword  with 
Coutel,  I     two-edged  blade. 


Couvrenuque,  Fr.  the  neck-plate  of  the  back  of  the 

armet  or  sallad. 
Cracoives,  \  sometimes  used  for  poleynes  and  also 
Crakoes,    j     for  pointed  shoes,  XIV  cent. 
Crampon,  a  bolt  for  attaching  the  helm  to  the 

cuirass. 

Cranequiti,  the  wheel  and  ratchet  machine  for  bend- 
ing the  crossbow. 
Cravates,  French  mounted  militia. 
Cresta,  It.  -\ 

Cresteria,  Sp.  V  crest  of  a  helmet. 
Crete,  Fr.  J 

Crete-echelle,  a  support  fixed  from  helm  to  back- 
plate  to  take  the  shock  when  tilting. 

Cretu,  O.F.  a  sword-breaker,  R. 

Crinet,  armour  for  the  horse's  neck. 

Crochets  de  retraits,  trail-hooks  of  a  cannon,  H. 

Criniere,  see  crinet. 

Croissante,  see  moton. 

Crosse,  the  butt  of  a  gun  or  a  crossbow. 

Croupiere,  armour  for  the  hinder  part  of  a  horse. 

Cubitiera,  It.  elbow-cop. 

Cubrenuca,  Sp.  see  couvrenuque 

Cuirass,  body-armour,  originally  of  leather,  after- 
wards of  plate. 

Cuir-bouillyAAeiences  for  horse  and  man  made  of 

Cure-buly,   )     boiled  and  moulded  leather. 

Cuissards,  leg-armour,  comprising  cuisses  and 
knee-cops  and  jambs. 

Cuishe,  \ 

Cuisse,  \  thigh-pieces  of  plate. 
Cuyshe,  ) 

Cuissots,  see  cuisse. 
Culasse,  the  breech  of  a  gun. 
Culet,  kilt  or  skirt. 
Cullotes,  Fr.  breeches. 

Culverin,  a  hand-gun  or  light  piece  of  ordnance, 

XV,  XVII  cent. 
Curatt,  see  cuirass. 

Curtate,  O.It.,  a  variety  of  cannon,  F. 

Curtana,  the  blunted  "  sword  of  Mercy  "  used  at 

the  Coronation. 
Curtelaxe,  O.E.  for  cutlass. 

Ciclaton,  "i  a  tight-fitting  surcoat  shorter  in  front 
Cyclas,    )     than  behind,  XIV  cent. 
Cyseau,  O.F.  an  arrow  or  dart,  R. 

D 

Daburge,  a  ceremonial  mace. 

Dag,  Tag,  a  short  pistol,  XVI-XVII  cent. 

Dague  a  couillettes,  Fr.  see  balloch  knife. 


POLYGLOT  GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS 


Dague  a  orellles,  a  dagger  with  the  pommel  fashioned 

like  two  circular  wings. 
Dague  a  rognons,  Fr.  a  dagger  with  kidney-shaped 

projections  above  the  quillons. 

Dague  a  ruelle,  Fr.  a  dagger  with  thumb-ring. 

Dard,  Sp.  javelin. 

Degen,  Germ,  sword,  dagger. 

Demi-poulaitie,  pointed  sollerets  of  medium  length. 

Demy-teste,  O.E.  a  steel  skull-cap,  C. 

Destrier,  a  war-horse. 

Detente,  Fr.  the  trigger. 

Diechlinge  1  ^ 

.    *  (•  Germ,  see  cuisse. 
Dieling  > 

Dilge,  Germ,  leg-guard  for  jousts. 

Dabbles,  O.E.  probably  moulds  or  patterns  on  which 

armour  was  made. 
Dolch,  Germ,  poniard. 
Dolequin,  a  dagger,  R. 
Doloire,  a  short-handled  axe,  G. 
Doloti,  O.E.  a  club,  R. 
Dorso,  It.  the  back  of  a  gauntlet. 
Dos,  Sp.  back-plate  of  a  cuirass. 
Doss  'tere,  Fr.  the  back-piece  of  the  cuirass. 
Dussack,  Hungarian  and  German  sword  of  cutlass 

form. 

E 

Ecrevisse,  Fr.  see  lobster-tail. 

Ecu,  Fr.  shield. 

Ecouvillon,  sponge  of  a  cannon. 

Eisetikappe,  Germ,  a  skull-cap  of  steel. 

Eisenschuhe,  Germ,  see  sollerets. 

Elbow-cops,  elbow-pieces  of  plate  armour. 

Elboiv  gauntlet,  a  metal  or  leather  glove  with  cufF 

reaching  to  the  elbow,  XVI,  XVII  cent. 
Elingue,  O.F.  a  sling,  R. 
Ellenbogenkachel,  Germ,  see  coude. 
Elmo  di  giostra.  It.  a  tilting-helm. 
Elsa,  \ 

Else,    \  the  hilt  of  a  sword  or  dagger,  F. 
Elza,  ] 

Enarmes,  the  loops  for  holding  a  shield. 
Encoche,  see  coche. 
Enlace,  see  anelace. 

Epaul'iere,  \  g^oulder-defence,  of  plate. 
Espaliere,  J 

Epaule-de-Mojjton,  Fr.  see  poldermitton. 

Epieu,  a  spear  ;  a  spear  with  crossbar  or  toggle,  G. 

Esca,  It.  tinder. 


Escarcelas,  Sp.  tassets. 
Escarpes,  Sp.  sollerets. 
Esclaivine,  O.F.  a  dart,  R. 

Escopette,  a  pistol  or  carbine  with  a  firelock,  C. 

Espada,  Sp.  a  long  sword. 

Espadin,  Sp.  a  short  sword. 

Espaldar,  Sp.  pauldron. 

Espare,  O.F.  a  dart,  R. 

Espieu,  see  epieu. 

Espingardier,  an  arquebussier,  0. 

Esponton,  Fr.  see  spontoon. 

Espringale,  a  siege  crossbow  on  wheels,  a  piece  of 

siege  ordnance,  G. 
Espuello,  Sp.  spur. 

Estival,  leg-armour  for  a  horse ;  exceedingly  rare 
in  MSS.  ;  only  one  example  of  this  armour 
exists,  in  Brussels. 

Estoc,  a  thrusting  sword. 

Estradiots,  Greek  horsemen,  temp.  Charles  VIII. 
Estramapon,  the  edge  of  a  sword,  a  sword-cut. 
Etoupin,  a  quick-match. 
Etriere,  a  military  flail,  G. 
Etrier,  Fr.  stirrup. 

Exsil,  O.F.  the  scabbard  of  a  sword,  R. 

F 

Falcione,  It.  see  falk. 
Falda,  It.  see  taces. 

Falarique,  an  arrow  headed  with  tow,  for  incendiary 

purposes,  G. 
Faldaje,  Sp.  taces. 

Falk,  a  primitive  weapon  formed  of  a  scythe-blade 
fixed  on  a  pole  ;  a  glaive. 

Falsaguarda,  Sp.  the  wings  on  the  blade  of  the  two- 
hand  sword. 

Fan-plate,  the  "  wing  "  on  the  outside  of  the  knee- 
cop. 

Fuuchard,  see  glaive. 
Faucre,  Fr.  a  lance-rest. 
Fautre,  Fr.  thigh-armour. 
Faux,  see  falk. 

Feather-staff,  a  staff  in  which  are  concealed  spikes 

released  by  a  spring. 
Federzapfen,  Germ,  spring-pins  to  which  the  paul- 

drons  are  hung,  XVI  cent. 
Fendace,  a  species  of  gorget,  XV  cent. 
Feure,  O.F.  a  scabbard,  R. 
F'mncali,  It.  see  tasset,  also  flanchard. 
Fioreti,  It.  a  thrusting  foil. 


160        THE  ARMOURER 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 


armour  for  the  flanks  of  a 
horse. 


Flail,  the  military  flail  was  like  the  agricultural 
implement,  but  as  a  weapon  of  war  the  thresher 
was  of  iron  instead  of  wood. 

t:.,    ,     '  I  a  two-hand  sword  with  wavy  blade. 
r  lamberge^  '  ^ 

Flamherg,  Germ,  rapier  with  wavy  blade. 

Flanchard,  O.E.  ^ 

Flancois,  Fr. 

Flankenpanzer,  Germ. 

Flanqueras,  Sp. 

Flaon,  Fr.  a  wedge  fastened  to  the  breast-piece  which 

took  the  shock  of  the  shield ;  see  poire. 

Fleau,  Fr.  military  flail. 

Flech'iere,  see  flanchard. 

Fletcher,  a  maker  of  arrows. 

Fleuret,  thrusting  foil. 

Flight,  an  arrow  for  distance  shooting. 

Flo,  O.E.  arrow. 

Forcim,  It.  a  gun-fork. 

Forconi,  It.  a  military  fork  for  escalades. 

Fornimento,  It.  the  hilt  of  a  sword. 

Fouchard,  see  glaive. 

Fouloir,  the  rammer  of  a  cannon. 

Framee,  O.F.  a  mallet  or  mace,  R. 

Francesca,  It.  a  battle-axe  or  pole-axe. 

Francisque,  a  long-handled  axe,  R. 

Freccia,  It.  an  arrow. 

Freiturnier,  Germ,  a  joust  run  without  a  barrier, 

XVI  cent. 
Frete,  O.F.  a  variety  of  arrows,  R. 
Frog^  the  hanger  of  a  sword-belt. 
Fronde,  Fr.  a  sling. 
Frontale,  It.  see  chamfron. 
Fronteau,  F.  see  chamfron. 
Fueille,  the  blade  of  a  sword,  0. 
Fusetto,  It.  see  misericorde. 

short  musket  with  a  firelock. 
Fitssturnier,  Germ,  joust  on  foot,  XVI  cent. 
Fust,  the  stock  of  a  firearm. 


G 

Gadlings,  knuckle  or  finger  spikes  fixed  to  the 
gauntlet. 

(Gay  derives  this  from  canepin,  sheep 
or  goat  leather,  hence  a  glove  of  lea- 
ther, mail,  or  plate.    Meyrick  explains 
it  as  a  sword. 
Galapentin,  O.F.  a  sword  or  sabre,  R. 
Galea,  It.  a  helm, 

Gambeson,  a  quilted  tunic,  XI  cent. 


Gambiera,  It.  see  jambs. 

Gardaignes,  O.F.  arms,  clothing,  etc.,  R. 

Garde-de-bras,  reinforcing  piece  for  the  left  arm, 

used  in  tilting. 
Garde-faude,  Fr.  see  codpiece. 

Garde-ferre,  O.F.  the  rest    of  the  lock  of  the 

arquebus  (pan  cover  .''),  0. 
Garde-collet,  Fr.  neck-guards  on  the  pauldron. 
Garde-rein,  E.Fr.  loin-guard  of  armour. 
Garde-queue,  Fr.  the  tail-guard  of  a  horse. 
Garrock,  \  used  for  the  quarrel  of  the  crossbow 
Garrot,    )     and  also  for  the  lever. 
Gaudichet,  O.F.  a  mail  shirt. 
Gaveloc,  \ 

Gaveloche^  \  a  species  of  javelin. 
Gavelot,  J 

Gavette,  It.  the  string  of  the  crossbow. 
Genestare,  O.F.  a  javelin,  R. 

Gedritts,  a  German  form  of  joust  in  which  the 

challenger  fought  two  opponents  in  succession. 
Gejingerte  hnndschuh.  Germ,  gauntlet  with  separate 

articulated  fingers. 
Geldiere,  O.F.  a  kind  of  lance,  R. 
Genetaircy  a  javelin,  XV.  cent. 
Genouillieres,  jointed  knee-pieces  of  plate. 
Gentilhomme,  a  wooden  cannon  bristling  with  spikes, 

XVI  cent.,  G. 
Gesafreifen,  Germ,  rein  or  loin  guard. 
Gestech,  various  forms  of  the  joust  as  practised  in 

Germany,  run  without  barriers. 
Ghiazarino,  It.  see  jazerant. 
Gibet,  a  military  mace. 
Gibiciere,  Fr.  a  cartridge  box,  also  pouch. 
Ginocchietti,  see  genouilliere. 
Gisarme,  a  staff"  weapon  of  the  glaive  order. 
Giostra,  It.  joust. 

Glaive,  a  species  of  bill  with  a  large  blade. 
Glazing-ivheel,  polishing-wheel  for  armour  plates. 
Gliedschirm,  Germ,  see  codpiece. 
Goafs-foot,  a  lever  for  bending  the  crossbow. 
Godbert,  see  hauberk. 
Godendar, 


Goedendag, 
Goudendar, 


a  species  of  short  club  at  the  top  of 
which  is  a  spike,  XIII-XIV  cent. 


'  j-  a  hedging-bill,  C. 


Goy, 

Goiz,  O.F.  a  sword,  R. 
Gola,  Sp.  1 
Goletta!!,.  ? 

Gonpillon,  Fr.  see  holy-water  sprinkle. 
Gonfanon,  Fr.  a  flag  or  standard. 


POLYGLOT  GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS  lei 


a  wide  plate  collar  to  protect  the 
throat,  XVIII  cent. ;  purely  orna- 
mental. 


Grappes,  Fr. 

Grappers, 

Grates, 


shin-defence,  of  plate. 


Gorget, 
Gorgiera,  It. 
Gorjal,  Sp. 
Gougerit,  Fr, 
Gossets,  see  gussets. 
Graffe,  Fr.  a  small  dagger. 

Grand-guard,  reinforcing  piece  for  tilting,  worn  on 

the  left  shoulder. 
Grano  d'orxo.  It.  chain  mail  closed  with  a  rivet. 

'a  toothed  ring  on  the  "  grip  "  of  the 
lance  which  held  the  weapon 
firmly  against  the  wood  or  lead 
block  behind  the  lance  rest. 

Greave, 
Greve,  Fr 
Greba,  Sp.  J 

Gronda,  It.  see  couvrenuque. 

Groppa,  It.  1 

\      c    f  see  crupper. 
Grupera,  op. )  ^'^ 

Guancia/i,  It.  ear-flaps  of  a  burgonet. 

Guardabrazos,  Sp.  see  pauldron. 

Guardacorda,  It.  see  garde-queue. 

Guardacuore,  It.  see  mentoniere. 

Guardagoletta,  It.  the  neck-guards  on  the  paul- 

drons. 

Guarda-o-rodillera,  Sp.  knee-cop. 
Guardastanca,  It.  see  grand-guard. 
Guige,  the  strap  round  the  neck  to  carry  the  shield, 
XII  cent. 

Guiterre,  O.F.  a  small  buckler  of  leather,  R. 

Gusset,  pieces  of  chain  mail,  tied  with  points  to  the 
"  haustement "  to  cover  those  portions  of  the 
body  not  protected  with  plate  armour  j  they  were 
usually  eight  in  number,  viz.  for  armpits,  inner 
side  of  elbows,  knees  and  insteps. 

Guyders,  straps  to  fasten  the  various  pieces  that 
went  to  make  up  the  suit  of  plate  armour,  also 
gussets. 

Gymurs,  the  servers  of  catapults  and  the  like  siege 
engines. 


H 


Hackbuss,  see  arquebus. 

Hake,  demi-hake,  O.E.  the  former  an  arquebus,  the 

latter  a  short  firearm,  XVI  cent. 
Hagbuttes,  arquebus. 
Hahtou,  see  gambeson. 
Halacret,  see  alacret. 
Halagues,  crossbowmen,  R. 
21 


/a  long-shafted  weapon  with  crescent- 
Halebarde,  shaped  blade  on  one  side  and  a  hook 
Halbert,  •(  or  spur  on  the  other,  surmounted  by 
Harlbart,      a  spear-head  ;  sometimes  found  with 

double  blade,  XV  and  XVI  cent. 
Halsberge,  Germ,  see  gorget. 
Hampe,  the  staff  of  a  halbert  or  pike. 
Hand  and  half  sivord,  see  bastard  sword. 
Hansart,  O.F.  a  missile  weapon  of  the  javelin 
order,  R. 

Harnischehappe ,  Germ,  the  padded  cap  worn  under 

the  tilting-helm. 

Hars,  O.F.  a  bow,  R. 

Harthstake,  a  rake  or  poker  for  the  forge. 

i/rtw^^rffow,]  short  (shirt  of  chain  mail,  XI  to  XII 

Hauberk,     [long  [  cent. 

Haulse-col,  \  „ 

TT  ;  .  rr.  see  gorget. 

Hausse-col, )  °  ° 

Hauscol  de  mai/es,  Fr.  see  standard  of  mail. 

Haustement,  Fr.  a  close-fitting  undergarment  to 

which  the  hose  and  the  chausses  were  fastened 

with  points. 
Haute  iarde,  Fr.  a  high-peaked  saddle. 
Haute  cloueure,  Fr.  high-proof  armour,  especially 

mail. 

Hauste,  O.F.  the  staff  of  a  pike,  R. 

Heaume,  a  heavy  helm  without  movable  visor  and 

only  an  eye-slit  or  occularium,  mostly  used  for 

tilting. 

Hendeure,  Fr.  the  "  grip  "  of  the  sword. 

Hentzen,  Germ,  mitten  gauntlets. 

Hinterarm,  Germ,  see  rerebrace. 

Hinterjluge,  Germ,  the  back-plate  of  the  pauldron. 

Hinterschurz,  Germ,  see  garde-rein. 

Hobilers,  common  light-horse  troopers. 

Hoguines,  see  cuisse. 

Holy-water  sprinkle,  a  shaft  of  wood  fitted  with  an 

iron  spike-studded  ball,  XVI  cent. 
Horse-gay,  a  demi-lance,  XV  cent. 
Hosting  harness,  armour  for  war  as  distinct  from 

that  of  the  joust. 
///v//Jf;;,a  light  head-piece  worn  by  archers,  XVIcent. 

a  long  sur  coat  worn  over  the  armour,  XVcent. 
Huvette,   Fr.   a  head-piece  of  leather  or  cloth 

stiffened  with  wicker  or  metal,  XIV  cent. 
Hivitel,  Anglo-Saxon,  knife. 


I 


Imbracciatura,  It.  see  enarmes. 
Imbricated  mail,  see  jazerant. 


162        THE  ARMOURER 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 


J 

Jack,  a  loose-fitting  tunic  of  leather,  either  quilted 

or  reinforced  with  plates  of  metal  or  horn. 

Jamhers,  \        •  i 

'  y  see  jambs. 
Jambeux,  J 

Jamboys,  skirts  of  plate,  XVI  cent.,  see  bases. 
Jambs,  armour  for  the  lower  leg. 
Janetaire,  see  javelin. 

Jarnac,  Brassard  a  la,  a  jointless  arm-piece  of  plate 

reaching  from  shoulder  to  wrist. 
Jarnac,  Coup  de,  2l  cut  on  the  back  of  the  leg  or 

a  "  hamstringing  cut." 
Jazerant,  body-armour  made  of  small  plates,  of  the 

brigandine  type. 
Jeddartstaff,  a  long-shafted  axe. 
Jupon,  a  short  surcoat,  XIV-XV  cent. 
Justes  of  peace,  jousts  at  barriers. 

K 

Kamm,  Germ,  the  crest  or  ridge  of  the  helmet  as 

distinct  from  the  heraldic  crest. 
Kamf hands chuhe.  Germ,  gauntlet. 
Kehlstuck,  Germ,  the  neck-plate  in  the  front  of  an 

armet. 

Kettyl-hat,  a  wide-brimmed  steel  war-hat,  XIV  cent. 
Kinnreff,  Germ,  bevor. 

'knee-defences,  of  plate,  first  worn 
over  chain-mail  chaussons,  and 
afterwards  with  complete  plate 
armour. 

Knuckle-bow,  the  part  of  the  sword-guard  that  pro- 
tects the  knuckle. 
Kragen,  Germ,  gorget. 
Krebs,  Germ,  see  tasset. 


Lama,  It.  sword-blade. 

Lama  a  biscia.  It.  see  flamberge. 

Lamboys,  see  jamboys. 

Lambrequin,  a  species  of  hood  of  cloth  attached  to 
the  helmet  with  "  points,"  and  failing  down  at 
the  back  to  protect  the  wearer  from  heat  and 
rain. 

Lames,  narrow  strips  of  steel  riveted  together 
horizontally  as  in  the  taces. 

Lance  a  bo'ete,  a  lance  with  blunted  point. 

Lance  de  carriere,  a  lance  for  tilting  at  the  ring,  C. 

Lance  a  rouet,  or  courtoise,  blunted  lances  for  tourna- 
ments, R. 


Knee-cops, 
Knlebuckel,  Germ.- 
Kniestuck,  Germ. 


Lance-rest,  an  adjustable  hook  or  rest  fixed  on  the 

right  side  of  the  breastplate. 
Lancegay,  "|  O.F.  a  short  spear,  hence  light  horse- 
Launcegay,\     man,  R. 
Lanciotto,  It.  javelin. 

Lansquenette,        \  a  broad  -  bladed  double  -  edged 

Landsknecht,         I     sword,  and  also  German  mer- 

Lanxichenecco,  It.  J     cenary  infantry,  XVI  cent. 

Leva,  It.  see  goat's-foot  lever. 

Lendenplatte,  Germ,  a  large  cuisse  for  tilting. 

Lingua  di  bue.  It.  see  cinquedea. 

Linstock,  a  combination  of  pike  and  match-holder, 

used  by  gunners  for  firing  cannon. 
Lobster-tail,  back  peak  of  a  helmet,  or  cuisses,  made 

of  overlapping  lames  like  a  lobster-shell,  XVII 

cent. 

Lochaber  axe,  a  long-shafted  axe.  Scottish,  XVII, 
XVIII  cent. 

Locket^  the  metal  socket  at  the  top  of  the  sword 
sheath  with  button  for  hanging  to  the  belt. 

Locki7ig  gauntlet,  a  gauntlet  of  plate  in  which  the 
finger-plates  lap  over  and  fasten  to  a  pin  on 
the  wrist,  used  for  fighting  at  barriers,  XVI 
cent. 

Loque,  O.F.  a  quarter-staff,  R. 
Luchet,  O.F.  an  iron  pike,  R. 
Luneta,  Sp.  rondel. 

Lunette,  Fr.  open  sword-guard,  late  XVII  cent. 


M 


Maglia  gazzarrina.  It.  see  jazerant. 
Maglia  piatta.  It.  see  ringed  mail. 
Mahenpanzer,  Germ,  see  crinet. 
Maillet,  Fr.  a  martel  de  fer,  XIV  cent. 

Main  gauche,  dagger  used  with  the  left  hand  when 

the  right  hand  held  the  sword. 
Maleus,  a  falchion,  F. 

Mamillieres,  circular  plates  worn  over  the  breast  to 
hold  chains  to  which  the  sword  and  dagger  were 
attached,  XIV  cent. 

Mancina,  It.  see  main  gauche. 

Manetta,  It.  the  trigger  of  a  gun,  also  a  spanner. 

Manezza  diferro,  an  arming-gauntlet,  F. 

Manicle,  gauntlet. 

Manico,  It.  the  grip  of  a  sword. 

Manoglia,  It.  the  handle  of  a  small  buckler. 


Manopla,  Sp.  1  ^j^^^ 
Manople,  It.   /  ^ 


POLYGLOT  GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS  les 


Manteau  ctarmes,  a  rigid  cape-like  shield  fixed  to 

the  left  breast  and  shoulder  for  tilting. 
Mantling,  see  lambrequin. 

Martel  de  fer,   Fr.  ">  a  war-hammer  used  by  horse 

Martello  d'arme.  It.  /     and  foot. 

Martinetto, 

Martinello,)^'' 

r  lozenge-shaped  plates  of  metal, 
Muscled,  mail,  sometimes  overlapping,  sewn  upon 
Macled,  mall,       a  tunic  of  leather  or  quilted  linen, 

.  XI,  XII  cent.  (Meyrick). 
Mass'ue,  Fr.  a  mace  or  club. 

Matchlock,  a  firearm  with  touch-hole  and  fired  with 

a  match,  early  XV  cent. 
Mattucashlass,  a  Scottish  dagger  carried  under  the 

armpit. 
Maule,  a  mace  or  club. 

Maximilian  armour,  a  style  of  plate  armour  dis- 
tinguished by  shallow  vertical  flutings,  said  to 
have  been  devised  by  the  Emperor  Maximilian  I, 
XVI  cent. 

Mazxa  d'arme.  It.  war-mace. 

Mazzafrustro,  It.  see  flail,  also  morning  star. 

Meche  soufree,  a  slow-match. 

Mell,  see  maule. 

Mentonlere,  a  piece  used  with  the  sallad  to  protect 

chin  and  breast. 
Merlette,  O.F.  a  sergeant's  staff,  R. 
Merls,  O.F.  a  javelin,  R. 
Meiisel,  Germ,  see  elbow-cop. 
Mezall,  Fr.  visor. 
Miccia,  It.  a  gun-match. 
Mlgerat,  O.F.  a  dart  or  arrow,  R. 
Minion,  2l  four-pounder,  XVI  cent. 
Mlserlcorde,  short  dagger  used  for  the  coup  de  grace, 
Mlssodor,  O.F.  a  war  horse,  R. 
Mitten-gauntlet, -ygnvintlet  in  which  the  fingers  are 
Mlttene,  It.      /    not  separate. 
Moresca,  It.  see  taces. 

Morion,  light  helmet  with  crest  and  inverted 
crescent  brim,  latter  end  of  XV  cent. 

Morning  star,  a  spike-studded  ball  hung  by  a 
chain  from  a  short  staff,  XIV-XV  cent. 

Mcrso,  It.  the  horse's  bit. 

Moschetto,  It.  see  matchlock. 

Mostardo,  a  musket,  F. 

Moton,  plates  to  protect  the  armpits,  especially  the 
right,  XIV  cent. 

Moullnet,  the  windlass  used  for  drawing  the  cross- 
bow. 

Moyenne,  see  minion. 


Murlce,  3l  caltrop,  P. 
Musacchlno,  see  pauldrons. 

Muschetta,,  It.  projectiles  used  with  the  crossbow. 
Muserag,  a  missile  weapon  of  some  kind,  F. 
Musollera,  It.  a  horse-muzzle. 

N 

Nackenschlrm,  Germ,  neck-plate  at  the  back  of  an 

armet. 
Nalde,  anvil. 

Naltoules,  some  appliance  for  closing  rivets. 

Nasal,  a  bar  of  steel  fixed  or  movable  on  the  front 
of  the  helmet  to  protect  the  nose,  in  more  general 
use  during  XI  cent.,  revived  afterwards  in  XVII 
cent. 

Nelghletts,  the  metal  tags  of  the  arming-points. 
Nowchys,   embossed  buckles  and  ornaments  for 

armour,  XV  cent. 
Noyeau,  the  core  of  a  gun. 

o 

Oberarmzeng,  Germ,  rerebrace. 

Occularlum,  the  eye-slit  in  the  helm. 

Orelllettes,  ear-pieces,  found  in  the  later  forms  of 

the  casque  and  burgonet. 
Orle,  the  wreath  or  twisted  scarf  worn  on  the 

helmet  immediately  beneath  the  crest. 
Orljlamme,  the  ancient  banner  of  the  Abbey  of  S. 

Denis  used  by  the  kings  of  France. 
Ospergum,  see  hauberk. 

Ottone,  It.  brass  or  latten,  used  for  edging  armour, 
etc.,  F. 


Paefustum,  a  battle-axe,  XV  cent. 

Palet,  a  small  skull-cap  of  cuir-bouilly  or  steel. 

Palettes,  circular  plates  to  protect  the  armpits.  . 

Panart,  O.F.,  a  large  knife,  R. 

Panache,  Fr.  the  plume  of  feathers  on  the  helmet. 

Pansier,  Fr.  the  lower  portion  of  the  cuirass  when 

it  is  formed  of  two  pieces. 
Panzer,  body-armour,  XI-XIV  cent. 
Panzlera,  It.  see  codpiece. 

Parement,  a  surcoat  or  ceremonial  dress  of  rich 
fabric. 

Parma,  It.  a  small  shield  or  buckler. 
p   ^   -       jj.  /■  a  long-shafted  weapon  with  broad- 
^rtigiana,    t.  |     pointed  blade,  in  form  allied  to 
'         I     the  pike  and  the  halbert. 


164        THE  ARMOURER 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Parilet^  O.E.  gorget,  F. 

Pas  (Pane,  Fr.  loops  of  bar  steel  immediately  over 

the  cross-hilt  of  the  sword. 
Pasguard,  a  reinforcing  piece  for  the  left  elbow, 

used  in  tilting. 
Passe-garde,  Fr.  the  French,  following  Meyrick, 

use  this  word  -wrongly  for  neck-guards. 
Passadoux,  a  Gascon  arrow,  C. 
Passe,  the  rack  for  stringing  the  crossbow,  0. 
Passot,  O.F.  a  dagger,  R. 

Patekt,  a  padded  vest  worn  under  armour,  XVI 

cent. 
Patrel,  see  poitrel. 
Patron,  a  case  for  pistol  cartridges. 
Patula,  a  short  sword  or  dagger. 
Pauldrotis,  shoulder-pieces  of  plate. 
Pavade,  a  long  dagger. 
Pavache,  Fr. 

Pavesche,  a    large    shield    used  by 

Pavise,  bowmen. 

Pavois  d'assout,  O.F. 

Pavon,  a  large  triangular  flag. 

Peascod,  a  form  of  breastplate  made  with  a  central 

ridge,  and  pointed  slightly  downward  at  the 

lower  extremity,  XVII  cent. 
Pectoral,   a  breast   defence  of  mail.    See  also 

peytral. 

Pel/,  )  a  sharpened  stake  used  by  the  Norman 
Pill,  j  peasants. 

Pellegrina  di  maglia,  It.  mail  cape  or  collar. 

Pennacchiera,  It.  )  , 
■Die  >  see  porte-panache. 

renacho,  op.         |        r  r 

Pennon,    a    pointed    banner    used    by  knights 

bachelor  and  esquires. 

Pentina,  O.I.  a  short  pike,  F. 

Pertuisan,  Fr.  partizan. 

Peto,  Sp.  breastplate. 

Petail  matres,  a  large-headed  dart  or  arrow,  R. 
Petronel,  a  short  firearm  fired  with  a  flint  or  pyrites 

(the  common  explanation  that  it  was  discharged 

held  at  the  chest  is  erroneous). 
Pettiera,  It.  see  peytral. 
Petto,  It.  breastplate. 
Peytral,  the  breastplate  of  a  horse. 
Pezonaras,  Sp.  see  bossoirs. 

Pfeife?ihartiisch,  Germ,  embossed  armour  to  imitate 

puffed  silk  or  velvet,  XVI  cent. 
Pheon,  a  barbed  javelin  used  by  the  sergeant-at- 

arms. 
Picca,  It.  see  pike. 
Piciere,  Fr.  see  peytral. 


Pieces  of  advantage,  reinforcing  pieces  for  the 
joust. 

Pied  de  biche,  Fr.  see  goat's-foot  lever. 
Pied  de  chevre,  a  crowbar. 

Pike,  a  long-shafted  weapon  used  by  footmen  only. 

It  had  a  lance-like  head,  and  was  shod  at  the 

butt-end  with  iron  for  fixing  in  the  ground  to 

receive  cavalry,  XIV-XVIII  cent. 
Pike-guard,  a  ridge  of  metal  set  upright  on  the 

pauldrons,  on  the  left  side,  erroneously  called 

pasguard. 
Pile,  the  head  of  the  arrow. 
Pistolese,  a  large  dagger  or  knife,  P. 
Pizane,  Fr.  breastplate. 

Placard,  -i  a  reinforcing  breastplate,  XVI-XVII 
Placcate,  f  cent. 

Plater,  the  maker  of  armour  plates  as  distinct  from 
the  armourer  who  made  up  the  plates  into 
armour. 

Platner,  Germ,  armourer. 

Plastron,  the  upper  portion  of  the  cuirass  when  it  is 

formed  of  two  pieces. 
Plastron-de-fer,  a  defence  of  plate,  usually  circular 

worn  on  the  breast  under  or  over  the  hauberk. 
Plates,  Pair  of,  back  and  breast  plates,  XIV-XV 

cent. 

Platine,  Fr.  the  lock  of  a  firelock. 

Plomrriee,   Fr.   a  leaden   mace ;  also  holy-water 

sprinkler. 
Poignard,  a  dagger. 

Poinpn,  the  stamp  or  trade-mark  of  the  armourer. 
Points,  laces  for  securing  the  gussets  of  mail  to  the 

undergarment,  and  also  the  lambrequin  to  the 

helm. 

Poire,  Fr.  a  pear-shaped  button  through  which  the 

laces  passed  that  held  the  shield  to  the  left 

breast,  XVI  cent. 
Poitrel,  breast-armour  for  a  horse. 
Poldermitton,  a  defence  for  the  inner  bend  of  the 

right  arm,  used  in  the  joust. 
Pole-axe,  a  long-shafted  axe  with  beak  and  spear 

point. 

Poleynes,  see  knee-cops,  XIII-XIV  cent. 

Polion,  some  part  of  the  crossbow. 

Pommel,  the  finishing  knob  of  the  sword-grip ;  also 

the  fore  peak  of  the  saddle. 
Pompes,  see  poleynes. 

Pontale,  the  chape  of  a  sword  or  dagger ;  also  the 

tag  on  an  arming-point  or  lance,  F. 
Porte-panache,  Fr.  the  plume-holder  on  the  helmet. 
Posolino,  It.  see  croupiere. 


POLYGLOT  GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS  i65 


Po/,  a  broad-brimmed  helmet  worn  by  pikemen, 
XVII  cent. 

Poulaine,  A  la,  sollerets  with  extremely  pointed  toes, 
XIV  cent. 

Pourpoint,  a.  padded  and  quilted  garment  of  leather 
or  linen. 

Pourpointerie,  quilted  material  with  metal  studs  at 

the  intersection  of  the  quilting  seams. 
Pryke-spur,  a  spur  with  a  single  point  and  no  rowel. 

n       ;    >  it.  a  small  dagger. 
Pully-pieceSy 


ruUy-pieces,  "»  , 
Putty-pieces,  I  P^^^y^^^' 
Pusafie,  -x 

n         {  see  pizane. 
Puzatie,  J  ^ 


Q 


Quadrelle,  It.  a  small  mace  with  leaf-like  projections, 
also  quarrel. 

Quarrel,  the  bolt  or  projectile  used  with  the  cross- 
bow. 

Quetyll,  O.E.  a  knife. 

Queue,  a  projecting  hook  on  the  back-piece  of  the 
cuirass  to  take  the  butt-end  of  the  lance  when 
held  in  rest. 

Quijotes,  Sp.  see  cuisse. 

Quillions,  the  cross-hilt  of  the  sword. 

R 

Raillon,  O.F.  a  kind  of  arrow,  R. 

Rainoise,  an  unknown  type  of  arquebus. 

Ranfort,  the  reinforce  ring  of  a  cannon. 

Ranseur,  a  large  trident  with  sharpened  blades  set 
on  a  long  shaft ;  a  species  of  partizan. 

Renmn,  German  jousting  courses  with  sharp  spear- 
head. 

Remihutschraube,  Germ,  see  crete-echelle. 

Rerebrace,  armour  for  the  upper  arm. 

Rest  of  advantage,  some  detail  of  armour  forbidden 

in  jousts  of  the  XVI  cent.;  possibly  some  kind 

of  lance-rest. 
Resta  J  ^ 

Restra  de  muelle^  Sp.  J 

Ricasso,  the  squaring  of  the  base  of  the  sword- 
blade  next  above  the  quillons. 

Ringed  wail,  formed  of  flat  rings  sewn  side  by  side 
on  a  tunic  of  leather  or  quilted  linen,  XI  cent. 

Rivet,  a  suit  of  armour ;  afterwards  the  small  nails 
that  hold  it  together. 

Rochet,  the  blunt  lance-point  for  jousting. 


Rodele,  O.F.  a  spur,  R. 

Roelle,  O.F.  a  buckler  or  small  shield. 

Roncone,  It.  see  gisarme. 

Rondache,  a  circular  shield,  XV-XVI  cent. 

Rondel,         \  circular  plate  protecting  the  armpit ; 

Rondelle,  Fr.  /     also  at  the  back  of  early  armets. 

Rondel  of  the  guard,  possibly  a  vamplate. 

Ross-stirn,  Germ,  see  chamfron. 

Rotellina  da  bracciale.  It.  rondel. 

Ruchenstiick,  Germ,  back-plate  of  the  cuirass. 

Rusthaken,  Germ,  lance-rest. 

Rustred  mail,  see  banded  mail  (Meyrick). 

Rustung,  Germ,  armour. 


Sabataynes, "»  „  „ 

Q  I  .         >O.E.  see  sollerets. 

o  a  bat  on  5,  J 

Sacheboute,  O.F.  a  horseman's  lance,  R. 

Sagetta,  a  casque  or  helmet,  F. 

Salade,  \  helmet  with  wide  brim  at  the  back,  worn 

Salett,   \    with  or  without  visor  and  mentoniere, 

Sallad,  J     XVI  cent. 

Sautoir,  O.F.  stirrup. 

Sbalzo,  It.  see  cesello. 

Scarpa  a  becco  d'anatra.  It.  see  bear-paw. 

Scarpa  a  punt  a  articolata.  It.  see  poulaine. 

Scarpa  a  pie  d'orso.  It.  see  bear-paw. 

Scarsellone,  It.  see  tasset. 

Schale,  1 

o  7  ;       {  Germ,  sallad. 
bchaiern,  ) 

Schamkapsel,  Germ,  see  bravette. 
Scheitelstuck,  Germ,  skull  of  the  helmet. 
Schembart,  Germ,  the  lower  part  of  the  visor,  the 
ventail. 

Scherikelschiene,  Germ,  see  cuishe. 
Schiavona,  It.  a  basket-hilted  cut-and-thrust  sword. 
Schiena,  It.  the  back-plate  of  the  cuirass. 
Schiessprugel,  Germ,  see  holy-water  sprinkle. 
Schiniere,  It.  see  jambs. 
Schioppo,  O.I.  a  dag  or  pistol,  F. 
Schlaeger,  Germ,  student's  fencing-sword. 
Schulterschild,  Germ,  see  grand-guard. 
Schulterschild  mit  Rand,  Germ,  a  pauldron  with  neck- 
guard  attached. 
Schwanzel,  \  Germ,   the    tail-guard  of  a 

Schivanzriempanzer,  f  horse. 
Schwebescheibe,  Germ,  see  vamplate. 
Sciabola,  It.  sabre. 


166        THE  ARMOURER 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Scudo,  It.  a  triangular  shield. 
Scure  ctarme^  It.  battle-axe. 
Seax^  a  dagger. 

Secreta,^a.  thin  steel  cap  worn  under  the  hat, 

Secrete,  i     XVI-XVII  cent. 

SeUa  d'arme,  It.  war-saddle. 

Semitargey  O.F.  a  scimitar,  R. 

Serpentina^  It.  the  cock  of  a  matchlock. 

Setzschildy  Germ,  see  pavise. 

Shaffron,  see  chamfron. 

Sharfrennen,  Germ,  variety  of  joust  with  sharp- 
pointed  lances,  XVI  cent. 

Sharfrennentarsche,  Germ,  a  shield-like  reinforcing 
piece  for  the  above  joust. 

Shell-guardy  a  form  of  sword-guard. 

Sfondagiacoy  It.  see  misericorde. 

SisarmeSf  see  gisarme. 

Slaughstuord,  a  two-hand  sword  carried  by  the 

whifHer,  IV  cent. 
Sliding  rivet,  a  rivet  fixed  on  the  upper  plate  and 

moving  in  a  slot  on  the  lower  plate. 
Snapbaunce,  an  early  form  of  flint-lock  in  which 

the  pan  has  to  be  uncovered  before  firing. 
Sockets,  a  thigh-defence   similar   to  the  German 

diechling. 
Soffione,  It.  a  musket  or  caliver. 
Sollerets,  shoes  of  laminated  plate,  usually  pointed. 
Spada,  It.  sword. 
Spadone,  It.  a  long  sword. 
Spadroon,  flat-bladed  sword  for  cut-and-thrust. 
Spallacci,  It.  pauldrons. 
Spalliere,  Fr.  see  pauldrons. 
Spasmo,  O.It.  a  dart  or  javelin,  F. 
Spetum, 
Spiede, 

Spight,  a  short  or  flight  arrow. 

Spigo,  O.It.  the  plume-holder  of  a  helmet,  P, 

Spli77t  armour,  narrow  overlapping  plates  as  opposed 

to  armour  made  of  large  plates. 
Spright,  a  wooden  arrow  discharged  from  a  gun. 
Springal,  see  espringale. 

Spontoon,  a  half-pike  carried  by  officers,  XVIII 
cent. 

Squarcina,  O.It.  a  short  sword  or  cutlass,  F. 
Staffa,  It.  stirrup. 

Statidard  of  mail,  a  collar  of  chain  mail,  XV  cent. 
Stecca,  It.  the  locket  of  a  dagger. 
Steccata,  It.  the  place  of  combat  for  duels. 
Stechhelm,  Germ,  heavy  tilting-helm. 
Stechen,  Germ,  jousting  course  with  coronal-tipped 
lances. 


It./ 


see  ranseur. 


Stechtarsche,  Germ,  a  ribbed  tilting-shield  used  in 

the  "  gestech  "  courses. 
Stinchieri,  O.It.  armour  for  the  shin,  F. 
Stirnstulp,  Germ,  the  upper  part  of  the  visor  of  an 

armet. 
Stithe,  O.K.  anvil. 
Striscia,  It.  rapier. 
Sturmhaube,  Germ,  see  burgonet. 
Sturmwand,  Germ,  see  pavise. 
Supeters,  O.E.  see  sollerets. 

Surcoat,  a  garment  worn  over  the  armour  to  protect 
it  from  sun  and  rain,  and  usually  blazoned 
heraldically. 

Sword-breaker,  a  short  heavy  sword  with  back  edge 
toothed  for  breaking  opponent's  sword,  XVI  cent. 
Sivyn-feather,  see  feather-staff. 


Tabard,  the  armorially  emblazoned  coat  worn  by 

heralds  ;  see  also  surcoat. 
Taces,  laminated  plates  at  the  lower  edge  of  the 

cuirass. 
Tache,  O.E.  strap. 
Talevas,  Sp.  shield. 

Tapul,  the  vertical  ridge  in  the  centre  of  some  forms 

of  breast-piece. 
Tarcaire,  O.F.  a  quiver,  R. 
Targe,  a  small  circular  shield. 
Torques,  O.F.  some  kind  of  engine  of  war,  R. 
Tartsche,  Germ,  a  small  shield  or  targe. 
Tartschen,  Germ,  see  ailettes. 

Tassets,  plates,  usually  lozenge-shaped,  attached  by 

strap  and  buckle  to  the  taces  to  protect  the 

upper  or  front  surface  of  the  thigh. 
Taurea,  O.It.  a  buckler  of  bull's  hide,  F. 
Tegulated  armour,  overlapping  tile-like  square  plates, 

end  of  XII  cent.  (Meyrick). 
Tertiare,  to  "  third  "  the  pike,  i.e.  to  shorten  either 

for  shouldering  or  for  receiving  cavalry. 

Tesa,  It.  the  shade  or  brim  of  the  burgonet. 

Tester,  O.E. ")        ,  r 
_   .  '    ^    \  see  chanrron. 
Testtera,  It.  J 

Testiere,  Fr.  a  metal  skull-cap  j  also  the  chanfron  of 

a  horse. 
Tetriere,  Fr.  see  tester. 

Thyrtel,     )         knife  or  dagger. 
Thivyrtel,  5 

Tilt,  the  barrier  used  to  separate  knights  when 
jousting, XI  Vcent.  and  onwards ;  first,  a  stretched 
cloth  ;  later,  of  wood. 


POLYGLOT  GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS  i67 


Timbre,  Fr,  the  skull  of  a  helmet. 
TiloleSy  Arbalest  a,  Fr.  windlass  crossbow. 
^°SS^^>  the  cross-bar  of  a  boar-spear.   In  modern  use 
a  button  for  joining  two  ends  of  a  strap  or  thong. 
Toi/e,  see  tilt. 
To/ysy  O.K.  tools. 

Touch-box,  probably  a  box  for  flint  and  steel  carried 

by  the  musket, 

I  a  contest  of  many  knights  in  the 

~       .  lists  as  opposed  to  the  joust  or 

lournois,  Fr.        .    ,  ,  . 

\     smgle  combat  at  barriers. 

Tournkle  cT eschaille,  Fr.  a  small  tunic  or  a  large 
gorget  composed  of  overlapping  scale  armour. 

Toyle,  a  contrivance  fixed  over  the  right  cuisse  to 
hold  the  lance  when  carried  upright ;  a  lance 
bucket. 

Trubrico,  Sp.  blunderbuss. 

Traguardo,  It.  see  visor. 

Trapper,  horse-trappings  of  fabric  or  mail. 

Trellised  armour,  quilted  linen  or  leather  with 
leather  bands  sewn  trelHs-wise  and  having  studs 
of  metal  in  the  trellis  openings  (Meyrick). 

Tresses,  plaited  laces  or  arming-points. 

Trilobed  scales,  triple  scales  in  one  piece  sewn  upon 
the  brigandine. 

Trombone,  It.  a  heavy  pistol,  blunderbuss. 

Trousse,  Fr.  a  quiver. 

Trumeliere,  Fr.  see  jamb. 

Tuck,  see  estoc. 

Tuile,  Fr.  see  tassets. 

Tuilette,  Fr.  small  tassets  as  on  tomb  of  Rich. 

Beauchamp,  Earl  of  Warwick. 
Turcasso,  It.  quiver. 

Turves,  probably  a  turban  or  orle  worn  on  the 
helmet. 

U 

Umbo,  the  boss  upon  a  shield. 

Umbril,  the  shade  or  brim  of  head-pieces  of  XVII 
cent. 

Uncin,  war  pickaxe. 

Uncim,  O.It.  a  broad-pointed  arrow,  a  hook,  P. 
Unterarmzeug,  Germ,  vambrace. 
Usbergo,  O.It.  breastplate,  vamplate,  F. 

V 

Vambrace,  the  plate  defence  for  the  fore-arm. 
Vamplate,  a  circular  shield  through  which  the  tilting 
and  war  lances  were  fixed  above  the  grip. 


the  lower  part  of  the  visor  when  it  is 
made  in  two  parts. 


that  part  of  the  helmet, movable  or  fixed, 
which  protects  the  eyes. 


Vedoil,  a  weapon  used  by  foot-soldiers,  possibly  a 
voulge. 

Velette,  O.It.  a  horse-soldier's  coat,  F. 

Venetian  sallad,  a  sallad  of  the  XV-XVI  cent. ; 
formed  like  the  ancient  Greek  helmet  with  fixed 
visor,  but  evolved  from  the  bascinet. 

Ventaglio,lt. 

Vent  ail,  Fr. 

Ventalle,  Sp. 

Vervelles,  the  staples  on  the  bascinet  to  which  the 

carvail  was  laced. 
Vireton,  an  arrow  for  the  crossbow  with  curving 

wings,  to  produce  a  spinning  motion. 
Visera,  It. 
Visor, 
Vista,  Sp., 

Volant-piece,  reinforcing  piece  for  the  tilt  to  protect 
the  breast  and  lower  half  of  the  face  ;  possibly  a 
spring  breastplate. 

Volet,  the  round  disc  at  the  back  of  the  armet. 

Volet,  Fr.  an  arrow  or  dart. 

Vor-artn,  Germ,  see  vambrace. 

Vorderfluge,  Germ,  the  front  plate  of  the  pauldron. 

Vorhelm,  Germ,  see  placcate. 

Voulge,  a  weapon  somewhat  similar  to  the  Lochaber 

axe ;  used  mostly  by  the  peasants. 
Voyders,  see  gussets. 

Voyding  knife,  a  knife  for  disembowelling  deer. 

Vuiders,] 

,     y  see  gussets. 
Vuyders,] 

W 

Wafter,  English  dummy  blade  for  fencing,  XVI 
cent. 

Wambais,  see  gambeson. 

Wappen  rock.  Germ,  a  cloak  decorated  heraldically. 
Welsches  gestech,    German   name  for  the  Italian 

course  of  jousting  over  the  tilt  or  barrier  with 

blunted  lance. 
JVhiffler,  a  two-hand  swordsman  who  cleared  the 

way  in  processions. 
Wifle,  a  practice-sword,  possibly  a  two-hander. 
Winbrede,  \ 

;r^«W,}^^^Sagnepam. 
Wire  hat,  see  coif. 


Zucchetto,  It.  a  species  of  burgonet,  XVII  cent. 
Xiueyhander,  Germ,  two-handed  sword. 


APPENDIX  A 


DOCUMENT  FROM  THE  RECORDS  OF  THE  ARMOURERS'  COMPANY, 

LONDON,  1322 

This  is  a  regulation  that  no  armourer  should  attempt  to  sell  Bascuettes  (Bascinets) 
covered  with  fabric,  but  should  show  them  uncovered,  so  that  the  workmanship 
might  be  seen  and  approved. 

ARMOURERS'  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 
Lib.  C,  fol.  33,  15  Edw.  II,  1322 

Edward  ye  Second 

Be  it  remembered  that  in  ye  hustinge  of  comon  plaes  holden  ye  Mondaie  in 
ye  feaste  of  ye  conversion  of  Saint  Paule,  ye  yere  of  ye  reigne  of  our  Lord  ye  king 
Edward,  ye  son  of  king  Edward,  xv  th.,  in  ye  presence  of  Sir  Hamen  de  Chigewelle 
then  Maior,  Nicholas  de  farringdon  and  by  assent  of  Hugh  de  Auggeye,  &c.  Ar- 
morers. It  is  was  ordeyned  for  ye  comon  proffyt  and  assented  that  from  henceforth 
all  Armor  made  in  ye  Cytie  to  sell  be  good  and  convenable  after  ye  forme  that  hence- 
forth That  is  to  saie  that  an  Akton  and  Gambezon  covered  with  sendall  or  of  cloth 
of  Silke  be  stuffed  with  new  clothe  of  cotten  and  of  cadar  and  of  oldn  sendal  and 
not  otherwise.  And  that  ye  wyite  acketonnes  be  stuffed  of  olde  lynnen  and  of  cot- 
tone  and  of  new  clothe  wth  in  and  wth  out.  Also  forasmuch  as  men  have  founde 
old  bascuette  broken  and  false  now  newly  covered  by  men  that  nothing  understand 
of  ye  mystery  wh  be  putt  in  pryvie  places  and  borne  out  into  ye  contrye  out  of  ye 
said  Cytie,  to  sell  and  in  ye  same  citie  of  wh  men  may  not  gaine  knowledge  whether 
they  be  good  or  ill,  of  ye  wh  thinge  greate  yill  might  fall  to  ye  king  and  his  people, 
and  a  greate  slaunder  to  ye  Armorers  aforesaid  and  to  all  ye  Cytie.  It  is  ordeyned 
and  assented  that  no  Farrar  ne  other  man  that  maketh  ye  Irons  of  bascuette  hereafter 
so  to  be  covered  no  bascuett  by  himself  to  sell  be  free  but  that  he  shall  sell  out  of  his 
hande  will  open  and  ungarnished  as  men  have  used  before  this  tyme.  And  ye  which 
shall  abide  ungarnished  until  they  be  sene  by  the  myor  that  shall  be  sworn  or  by  ny 
of  Cz'ens  whether  they  be  convenable  to  garnishe  or  no.  And  there  be  found  in  any 
Court  of  Armorers  or  else  where  in  wch  Court  is  Armor  for  to  sell,  whatsoever  it 
be,  that  is  not  proffytable  or  otherwise  than  is  ordeyned  and  none  be  it  taken  and 
brought  before  ye  Maior  and  Aldermen  and  hys  Czens  to  be  demed  good  or  ill  after 
their  discretion.  And  for  the  wch  thing  well  and  lawfully  to  be  kept  and  surveyed 
Roger  Savage  Willm,  De  Langgull,  Richard  Johonnez  (John  Conny)  being  sworne. 
And  if  they  myor  may  not  attend  that  ij  of  them  Do  that  longeth  thereto. 

Fol.  135,    ffirst  it  is  a  general  Article  ordeyned  for  all  ye  crafte  of  London  and 
centred  in  ye  Chamber  of  ye  Guildhall  of  ye  said  City  in  ye  booke  wth  ye  letter 
22  169 


170        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


C  in  ye  xxxv  leaffe  in  ye  tyme  of  Adam  Bury  Maior,  in  ye  yere  of  ye  reigne  of 
king  Ed.  ye  thirde  after  ye  conquest. 

Lib.  V.  xd.  It  is  ordeyned  that  all  ye  crafte  of  ye  citie  of  London  be  truely  ruled 
and  governed  every  person  in  his  nature  in  due  maner  so  that  no  falsehood  ne  false 
w^orkemanshipp  nor  Deceipt  be  founde  in  no  maner  wise  in  any  of  ye  foresaid  crafte 
for  ye  worshipp  of  ye  good  folke  of  all  ye  same  crafte  and  for  the  comon  proffytt 
of  ye  people. 


APPENDIX  B 


REGULATIONS  OF  THE  HEAUMERS,  21  EDWARD  III,  1347 
City  of  London  Letter  Book  F,  fol.  cxlii 

The  Points  of  the  Articles  touching  the  trade  of  Helmetry  accepted  by  Geffrey  de 
Wychingham,  Mayor,  and  the  Aldermen  at  the  suit  and  request  of  the  folks 
of  the  said  trade  : — 

In  the  first  place  that  no  one  of  the  said  trade  shall  follow  or  keep  seld  of  the 
trade  aforesaid  within  the  franchise  of  the  City  of  London  until  he  shall  have 
properly  bought  his  freedom,  according  to  the  usages  of  the  said  City,  on  pain  of 
losing  his  wares. 

Also  forasmuch  as  heretofore  some  persons  coming  in  who  are  strangers  have 
intermeddled  and  still  do  intermeddle  in  the  making  of  helmetry,  whereas  they  do 
not  know  the  trade,  by  reason  whereof  many  great  men  and  others  of  the  realm  have 
been  slain  through  their  default,  to  the  great  scandal  of  the  said  trade  :  It  is  ordained 
that  no  person  shall  from  henceforth  intermeddle  with  or  work  at  helmetry  if  he  be 
not  proved  to  be  a  good,  proper,  and  sufficient  workman  by  the  Wardens  of  the  said 
trade  on  pain  of  forfeiture  to  the  use  of  the  Chamber. 

Also  that  three  or  four  if  need  be  of  the  best  workmen  of  the  said  trade  shall 
be  chosen  and  sworn  to  rule  the  trade  well  and  properly  as  is  befitting  for  security 
and  safety  of  the  great  men  and  others  of  the  realm,  and  for  the  honour  and  profit 
of  the  said  City  and  of  the  workers  of  the  said  trade. 

Also  that  no  apprentice  shall  be  received  by  any  master  of  the  said  trade  for 
less  than  seven  years  ;  and  that  without  collusion  or  fraud  on  paying  to  the  said 
Chamber  100  shillings. 

Also  that  no  one  of  the  said  trade  or  other  person  of  the  Franchise  shall  set 
any  stranger  to  work  who  is  of  the  said  trade  if  he  be  not  a  proper  and  lawful  person, 
and  one  for  whom  the  master  will  answer  as  to  his  good  behaviour,  on  pain  of  paying 
to  the  said  Chamber  20  shillings. 

Also  that  no  apprentice  of  the  said  trade  who  shall  be  indebted  to  his  master 
in  any  sum  of  money  at  the  end  of  his  term  shall  serve  henceforth  any  other  person 
than  his  own  master,  nor  shall  he  depart  from  such  service  or  be  into  the  service  of 
another  person  in  any  way  received  until  he  shall  have  fully  given  satisfaction  for  his 
debt  to  his  master.  And  he  who  shall  receive  in  any  other  manner  the  servant  or 
apprentice  of  another  person  shall  pay  to  the  said  Chamber  20  shillings. 

Also  that  helmetry  and  other  arms  forged  by  the  hammer  which  are  brought 
from  the  parts  without  this  land  beyond  the  seas,  or  from  any  other  place  unto  the 
said  City  for  sale,  shall  not  from  henceforth  be  in  any  way  offered  for  sale  privily 

171 


172        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


or  openly  until  they  have  been  properly  assayed  by  the  aforesaid  Wardens  and 
marked  with  their  mark,  on  pain  of  forfeiting  such  helmetry  and  arms  to  the  said 
Chamber  as  shall  be  so  offered  for  sale. 

Also  that  each  one  of  the  makers  aforesaid  shall  have  his  own  mark  and  sign,  and 
that  no  one  of  them  shall  counterfeit  the  sign  or  mark  of  another  on  pain  of  losing 
his  freedom  until  he  shall  have  bought  the  same  back  again  and  made  satisfaction  to 
him  whose  sign  he  shall  have  so  counterfeited,  and  further  he  shall  pay  to  the 
Chamber  40  shillings. 

Wardens  of  the  same  trade  chosen  and  sworn, 

Robert  de  Shirwode, 

Richard  Bridde, 

Thomas  Canoun. 


APPENDIX  C 


TREATISE  OF  WORSHIP  IN  ARMS,  BY  JOHAN  HILL,  ARMOURER  TO 

HENRY  VI,  1434 

TRAYTESE  OF  THE  POYNTES  OF  WORSHIP  IN  ARMES  BY  JOHAN  HYLL, 
ARMORER  SERGEANT  IN  THE  KINGE'S  ARMORY  1434 
Bod.  Lib.,  Ashmole.  MS.  856,  art.  22,  pp.  376-83 

[376]  Too  my  leve  Lordes  here  nowe  next  folowinge  is  a  Traytese  compyled 
by  Johan  Hyll  Armorier  Sergeant  in  the  office  of  Armory  wt.  Kinges  Henry  ye  4th 
and  Henry  ye  5th  of  ye  poyntes  of  Worship  in  Armes  and  how  he  shall  be  diversely 
Armed  &  gouverned  under  supportacion  of  faveurof  alle  ye  Needes  to  coverte  adde 
&  amenuse  where  nede  is  by  the  high  comandement  of  the  Princes  that  have  powair 
so  for  to  ordeyne  &  establishe 

The  first  Honneur  in  Armes  is  a  Gentilman  to  fight  in  his  Souverain  Lords 
quarell  in  a  bataille  of  Treason  sworne  withinne  Listes  before  his  souverain  Lorde 
whether  he  be  Appellant  or  Defendant  ye  honneur  is  his  that  winneth  ye  feelde. 

As  for  the  appellant  thus  Armed  by  his  owne  witte  or  by  his  counsaille  wch  is 
assigned  to  him  before  Conestable  &  Marchall  ye  wch  Counsaille  is  ordeyned  & 
bounden  to  teche  hym  alle  maner  of  fightynge  &  soteltees  of  Armes  that  longeth 
for  a  battaile  sworne 

First  hym  nedeth  to  have  a  paire  of  hosen  of  corde  wtoute  vampeys  And  the 
saide  hosen  kutte  at  ye  knees  and  lyned  wtin  wt  Lynnen  cloth  byesse  as  the  hose  is 
A  payre  of  shoen  of  red  Lether  thynne  laced  &  fretted  underneth  wt  whippecorde 
&  persed,  And  above  withinne  Lyned  wt  Lynnen  cloth  three  fyngers  in  brede 
double  &  byesse  from  the  too  an  yncle  above  ye  wriste.  And  so  behinde  at  ye  hele 
from  the  Boole  halfe  a  quarter  of  a  yearde  uppe  this  is  to  fasten  wele  to  his  Sabatons 
And  the  same  Sabatons  fastened  under  ye  soole  of  ye  fote  in  2  places  hym  nedeth  also 
a  petycote  of  an  overbody  of  a  doublett,  his  petycote  wt  oute  sieves,  ye  syses  of  him 
3  quarters  aboute  wt  outen  coler.  And  that  other  part  noo  ferther  thanne  [377] 
ye  waste  wt  streyte  sieves  and  coler  and  cutaine  oylettes  in  ye  sieves  for  ye  vaunt 
bras  and  ye  Rerebrase 

Armed  in  this  wise  First  behoveth  Sabatouns  grevis  &  cloos  quysseux  wt 
voydours  of  plate  or  of  mayle  &  a  cloos  breche  of  mayle  wt  5  bokles  of  stele  ye 
tisseux  of  fyne  lether.  And  all  ye  armyng  poyntes  after  they  ben  knytte  &  fastened 
on  hym  armed  that  ye  poyntes  of  him  be  kutte  of 

And  thanne  a  paire  of  cloos  gussetts  strong  sclave  not  drawes  and  thatye  gussets 
be  thre  fingers  withinne  his  plates  at  both  assises  And  thanne  a  paire  of  plattes  at 
XX  li  lib  weight  his  breste  &  his  plats  enarmed  to  wt  wyre  or  wt  poyntes. 

173 


THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


A  pair  of  Rerebraces  shitten  withinne  the  plates  before  wt  twi  forlockes  and  behinde 
wt  thre  forlocks.  A  paire  of  vaunt  bras  cloos  wt  voydours  of  mayle  &  fretted.  A 
pair  of  gloves  of  avantage  wche  may  be  devised.  A  basnet  of  avauntage  for  ye 
listes  whiche  is  not  goode  for  noon  other  battailles  but  man  for  man  save  that 
necessitie  hath  noo  lawe,  the  basnet  locked  haver  &  vysour  locked  or  charnelled  also 
to  ye  brest  &  behynde  wt  two  forlockes.  And  this  Gentilman  appellent  aforesaide 
whanne  he  is  thus  armed  &  redy  to  come  to  ye  felde  do  on  hym  a  cote  of  armes  of 
sengle  tarten  ye  beter  for  avauntage  in  fighting.  And  his  leg  barneys  covered  alle 
wt  reed  taritryn  the  wche  ben  called  tunictes  for  he  coverynge  of  his  leg  barneys  is 
doen  because  his  adversarie  shal  not  lightly  espye  his  blode.  And  therefore  also  hen 
his  hosen  reed  for  in  alle  other  colours  blode  wol  lightly  be  seyne,  for  by  the  oolde 
tyme  in  such  a  bataile  there  shulde  noo  thing  have  be  seyn  here  save  his  basnett  &  his 
gloves.  And  thanne  tye  on  hym  a  payre  of  besagewes.  Also  it  fitteth  the  [378] 
foresaide  counsaille  to  goo  to  ye  kyng  the  daye  before  ye  bataille  &  aske  his  logging 
nigh  ye  listes.  Also  ye  foresaide  Counsaille  must  ordeyne  hym  the  masses  ye  first 
masse  of  ye  Trinitie  ye  seconde  of  ye  Holy  Goste  &  ye  thirde  of  owre  Ladye  or  elles 
of  what  other  sainte  or  saintes  that  he  hath  devocion  unto 

And  that  he  be  watched  alle  that  night  hym  that  he  is  watched  and 

light  in  his  Chambre  alle  that  night  that  his  counsaille  may  wite  how  that  he 
slepeth.  And  in  ye  mornyng  whanne  he  goeth  to  his  Masses  that  his  herneys  be 
leyed  at  ye  North  end  of  ye  Auter  and  covered  wt  a  cloth  that  ye  gospell  may  be  redde 
over  it  and  at  ye  laste  masse  for  to  be  blessed  wt  ye  preist  and  whanne  he  hath  herde 
his  Masses  thanne  to  goo  to  his  dyner.  And  soo  to  his  Armyng  in  ye  forme  aforesaide. 
And  whanne  he  is  armed  and  alle  redy  thanne  to  come  to  ye  feelde  in  forme  to  fore 
rehersed,  thanne  his  counsaille  bounden  to  counsaille  hym  &  to  teche  hym  how 

he  shal  gouverne  hym  of  his  requests  to  ye  kyng  or  he  come  into  ye  feelde  and  his 
entrie  into  ye  felde  and  his  gouvernance  in  the  feelde  for  ye  saide  Counsaille  hath  charge 
of  hym  before  Constable  and  Mareschal  til  that  Lesses  les  aller  be  cryed.  The  whiche 
requestes  ben  thus  that  ye  saide  Appellant  sende  oon  his  counsaille  to  the  kyng  for  to 
requeste  hym  that  whanne  he  cometh  to  ye  barrers  to  have  free  entrie  wt  his  counsaille 
Confessour  &  Armorers  wt  alle  maner  of  Instruments  wt  breede  &  wyne  hymself  bring- 
ing in  in  an  Instrument  that  is  to  saye  a  cofre  or  a  pair  of  bouges.  Also  their  fyre  cole 
&  belyes  and  that  his  chayre  wt  [379]  certaine  of  his  Servants  may  be  brought  into 
ye  feelde  and  sette  up  there  the  houre  of  his  comyng  that  it  may  cover  hym  and  his 
counsaille  whanne  he  is  comen  into  ye  feelde  this  forsaide  gentilman  Appellant  comyng 
to  ye  Listes  whether  he  wol  on  horsebak  or  on  fote  wt  his  counsaille  Confessour  & 
other  Servaunts  aforesaide  havyng  borne  be  fore  hym  by  his  counsaille  a  spere  a  long 
swerde  a  short  swerde  &  a  dagger  fastined  upon  hymself  his  swerdes  fretted  and 
beasagewed  afore  ye  hikes  havyng  noo  maner  of  poyntes  for  and  ther  be  founden  that 
day  on  hym  noo  poyntes  of  wepons  thanne  foirre,  it  shall  tourne  hym  to  gret  reproof. 
And  this  gentilman  appellant  that  come  to  ye  barrers  at  ye  Southeest  sone,  his  visier 
doune  And  he  shal  aske  entrie  where  shal  mete  hym  Constable  and  Mareschal  and 
aske  hym  what  art  thou.  And  he  shal  saye  I  am  suche  a  man  &  telle  his  name  to 
make  goode  this  day  by  ye  grace  of  God  that  1  have  saide  of  suche  a  man  and  tell 
hys  name  bifore  my  Souain  Lord  and  they  shal  bidde  hym  putte  up  his  visier  and 


APPENDIX  C 


175 


whanne  he  hath  put  up  his  visier  they  shal  open  the  barrers  and  lette  hym  inne  and 
his  counsaille  before  hym  &  wt  hym  his  Armorers  &  his  servaunts  shal  goo  streight 
to  his  chayer  wt  his  breed  his  wyne  &  alle  his  instruments  that  longe  unto  hym  save 
his  weppons.  And  whanne  he  entreth  into  the  felde  that  he  blesse  hym  soberly  and 
so  twys  or  he  come  to  before  his  Souverain  Lord  And  his  Counsailles  shall  do  thair 
obeisaunce  before  thair  souverain  Lord  twys  or  they  come  to  the  degrees  of  his 
scaffolde  and  he  to  obeye  him  wt  his  heed  at  both  tymes  Then  whanne  they  to  fore 
thair  souverain  Lord  they  shal  knele  a  downe  and  he  also  they  shal  aryse  or  he  aryse 
he  shal  obeye  hym  at  his  heed  to  his  souverain  Lord  and  then  aryse  and  whanne  he 
is  up  on  his  feete  he  shal  blesse  hym  and  turne  hym  to  his  chayre  and  at  the  entryng 
of  his  chayr  [380]  soberly  tourne  hym  his  visage  to  his  souverain  Lord  wards  and 
blesse  hym  and  thanne  tourne  hym  againe  and  soo  go  into  his  chayre  and  there  he 
maye  sitte  hym  downe  and  take  of  his  gloves  and  his  basnet  and  so  refresh  hym  till 
the  houre  of  hys  Adversarie  approche  wt  breed  and  wyne  or  wt  any  other  thing  that 
he  hath  brought  in  wt  hym.  And  whanne  the  Defendaunt  his  Adversarie  cometh 
in  to  the  feelde  that  he  be  redy  armed  againe  or  that  he  come  into  the  feelde  standing 
withoute  his  chayre  taking  hede  of  his  Adversaries  comyng  in  and  of  his  countenance 
that  he  may  take  comfort  of.  And  whanne  the  defendant  his  Adversarie  is  come  int 
ye  felde  and  is  in  his  chayre  thanne  shal  the  kyng  send  for  his  wepons  and  se  him 
and  the  Conestable  and  the  Marschal  also  and  if  they  be  leefull  they  shal  be  kept  in 
the  feelde  &  kutte  the  same  day  by  ye  comaundement  of  the  kyng  and  the  Conestable 
and  Mareschal  in  ye  kynge's  behalve.  And  thanne  fitteth  to  the  foresaide  counsaille 
to  arme  hym  and  to  make  hym  redy  against  that  he  be  called  to  his  first  00th  and 
whanne  he  is  called  to  his  first  oothe  thanne  fitteth  it  to  alle  his  counsaille  to  goo  wt 
hym  to  his  first  00th  for  to  here  what  the  Conestable  and  Mareschal  seyen  unto  hym 
and  what  contenaunce  he  maketh  in  his  sweryng  And  whanne  he  hath  sworne  they 
shl  ryse  up  by  ye  comaundement  of  the  Conestable  and  Mareschal.  And  whanne  he 
is  on  his  feete  he  shal  obey  hym  to  his  Souverain  Lord  and  blesse  hym  and  thanne 
turne  hym  to  his  chayre  his  visage  to  his  souveraine  Lord  wards  and  in  his  goinge  blesse 
hym  twys  by  ye  weye  or  he  come  to  his  chayre.  And  at  ye  [38 1]  entryng  to  his  chayre 
soberly  tourne  hym  his  visage  to  his  Souverain  Lord  wards  and  blesse  hym  and  soo  go 
into  his  chayre.  Thanne  fitteth  it  to  his  fore  saide  Counsaille  to  awayte  where  the 
defendaunt  shal  come  to  his  first  ooth  and  that  they  be  ther  as  sone  as  he  for  to  here 
how  he  swereth  for  he  must  nedes  swere  that  al  that  ever  th  appellant  hath  sworne  is 
false  substance  and  alle.  And  if  he  wol  not  swere  that  every  worde  &  every  sillable 
of  every  worde  substance  and  alle  is  false  the  Counsaille  of  ye  saide  appellant  may  right 
wisly  aske  jugement  by  lawe  of  Civile  and  raison  of  Armes  forafter  ye  juge  is  sette 
there  shulde  noo  plee  be  made  afore  hym  that  daye. 

And  if  so  be  that  the  Defendant  swere  duly  thanne  ye  Counsaille  of  the  foresaide 
Appellant  shal  goo  to  his  chayre  agayne  and  abide  ther  til  they  be  sent  for.  And 
thanne  shal  they  bringe  hym  to  hys  second  Ooth  and  here  how  he  swereth  and 
whanne  he  hath  sworne  they  shal  goo  wt  hym  to  hys  chayre  againe  in  the  forme 
aforesaide.  And  whanne  he  is  in  his  chayre  the  saide  Counsaille  shal  awayte  whanne 
ye  Defendaunt  cometh  to  his  seconde  ooth  and  here  how  he  swereth  and  if  he  swere 
under  any  subtil  teerme  cantel  or  cavellacion  the  foresaide  Counsaille  of  th  appellant 


176        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


may  require  the  jugement.  And  if  he  swere  duely  thanne  shal  ye  Counsaille  of  ye 
foresaide  Appellant  goo  to  his  chayre  againe  and  abide  there  til  they  be  sent  for. 
And  thanne  shal  they  brynge  hym  to  his  thirde  ooth  and  assuraunce.  And  whanne 
they  be  sworne  and  assured  the  saide  appellant  wt  his  Counsaile  shal  goo  againe  to 
his  chayre  in  the  fourme  afore  saide  and  there  make  [382]  hym  redy  and  fastene 
upon  hym  his  wepons  and  so  refresche  hym  til  ye  Conestable  and  Mareschal  bid  hym 
come  to  ye  feeld.  Thanne  shal  his  Armorers  and  his  Servaunts  voyde  the  Listes  wt 
his  chayre  and  alle  his  Instruments  at  ye  Comandement  of  ye  Conestable  and  Mare- 
schal. Thanne  fitteth  it  to  the  Counsaille  of  the  saide  Appellant  to  ask  a  place  of 
ye  kyng  afore  hym  withinne  the  barres  upon  his  right  hande  that  ye  saide  Counsaille 
of  th  appellant  may  come  and  stande  there  whanne  they  be  discharged  of  ye  saide 
Appellant. 

The  cause  is  this  that  suche  pyte  may  be  given  to  ye  kyng  if  God  that  noon  of 
hem  shal  dye  that  daye  for  he  may  by  his  prowaie  royal  in  such  a  cas  take  it  into 
his  hande  the  foresaide  Counsaille  of  the  Appellant  to  abyde  in  the  saide  place  til  the 
kyng  have  geven  his  jugement  upon  him — And  thanne  ye  Conestable  and  Mareschal 
shal  deliwer  the  foresaide  Appellant  by  ye  Comandement  of  the  kyng  to  his  foresaide 
Counsaille  to  govern  hym  of  his  going  out  of  ye  feelde  as  wele  as  they  did  of  his 
comyng  in  his  worship  to  be  saved  in  al  that  lyeth  en  hem.  And  soo  to  bryng  hym 
to  his  Logging  agayne  to  unarme  hym  comforte  hym  and  counsaille  hym  And 
some  of  his  Counsaille  may  goo  to  the  kyng  and  comon  wt  hym  and  wite  of  the 
kyng  how  he  shal  be  demeaned.  This  enarmyng  here  aforesaide  is  best  for  a  battaille 
of  arreste  wt  a  sworde  a  dagger  an  Ax  and  a  pavys  til  he  come  to  th  asseblee  his 
sabatons  &  his  tunycle  evoyded  And  thanne  the  Auctor  Johan  Hyll  dyed  at  London 
in  Novembre  the  xiii  th  yere  of  kyng  Henry  the  Sixt  so  that  he  accomplished  noo 
mor  of  ye  compylyng  of  this  [383]  trayties  on  whose  soulle  God  have  mercy  for  his 
endles  passion  Amen. 


APPENDIX  D 


TRAITE  DU  COSTUME  MILITAIRE,  1446 
Bib.  Nat.,  Paris  (fonds  Frangais,  1997) 
Given  in  full  in  Du  Costume  Militaire  des  Frajifais  en  14.4.6^  Rene  de  Belleval,  1 866 

Mais  quant  a  la  faczon  de  leur  harnoys  de  joufte,  fuis  content  de  le  vous  declairer 
plus  largement,  affin  que  pour  lavenir  ceulx  qui  voudront  joufter  y  preignent  exemple, 
foit  de  y  adjoufter  ou  de  y  ofter,  comme  mieulx  verront  et  congnoifteront  y  eftre 
neceflaire. 

Et  tout  premierement  vueil  commancer  au  harnoys  de  tefte,  ceft  aflavoir  au 
heaume,  lequel  eft  fait  en  cefte  faczon,  comme  cy  apres  me  orrez  declairer  ;  et 
premierement  lefdiz  heaumes  font,  fur  le  fommet  de  la  tefte  jufques  a  la  veue,  fors  et 
efpes  et  ung  pou  fur  le  rondelet,  par  faczon  que  la  tefte  ne  touche  point  encontre, 
ain^ois  y  peut  avoir  efpace  de  troiz  doiz  entre  deux. 

Item,  de  delfobz  de  la  veue  du  heaume,  qui  arme  par  davant  tout  le  vifaige  depuis 
lesdeux  aureilles  jufques  a  la  poitrine  et  endroit  les  yeulx  qui  s'appelle  la  veue,  avance 
et  boute  avant  troiz  bons  doiz  ou  plus  que  n'eft  le  bort  de  deffus  ;  entre  lequel  bort 
de  deffus  et  celuy  de  delfobz  ny  a  bonnement  defpace  que  ung  bon  doy  et  demy  pour 
y  povoir  veoir,  et  n'eft  ladifte  veue,  tant  dun  coufte  que  dautre,  fendue  que  environ 
dun  efpan  de  long,  mais  voulentiers  vers  le  coufte  feneftre  eft  ladidte  veue  plus  cloufe 
et  le  bort  plus  en  bouty  dehors  que  n'eft  de  lautre  cofte  droi6t. 

Item,  et  ledit  deffobz  ladid:e  veue  marche  voluntiers  fur  la  piece  de  delfus  la  tefte 
deux  bons  doiz,  tant  dun  coufte  que  dautre  de  la  veue,  et  clone  de  fors  clox  qui  ont 
les  uns  la  tefte  enbotie,  et  les  autres  ont  la  tefte  du  clou  limee  affin  que  le  rochet  ny 
prengne. 

Item,  la  piece  delfufditte  qui  arme  le  vifaige  eft  voluntiers  large  et  deftendant 
prefque  dune  venue  jufques  a  la  gorge,  ou  plus  has,  affin  quelle  ne  foit  pas  ft  pres  des 
vifaiges  quant  les  cops  de  lance  y  prennent.  Ain9ois  qui  le  veult  faire  a  point  fault 
quil  y  ait  quatre  doiz  defpace  du  moins  entre  deux.  Et  a  cefte  di(5te  piece,  du  cofte 
droi(5t  de  la  lance,  endroit  la  joue,  deux  ou  trois  petites  veues  qui  viennent  du  long 
depuis  le  hault  de  la  joue  jufques  au  collet  du  pourpoint,  affin  que  I'en  nait  schault 
dedens  le  heaulme,  et  aufli  affin  que  on  puiffe  mieulx  ouir  ou  veoir  celuy  qui  le  fert 
de  la  lance. 

Item,  I'autre  piece  dudit  heaume  arme  depuis  les  aureilles  par  darriere  le  long 
du  coul  jufques  trois  doiz  fur  les  efpaulles  par  bas,  et  par  hault,  auffi  jufques  a  trois 
doiz  fur  la  nuque  du  coul,  Et  vient  faczonnee  une  arrefte  aval  qui  vient  en  eftroiffiftant 
fur  le  collet  du  pourpoint,  et  fe  relargift  fur  les  efpaulles  en  deux  ;  laquelle  piece 
deffufdifte  neft  jamais  faifte  forte  ne  efpeffe,  ain9ois  la  plus  legiere  que  on  la  peult 
23  177 


178        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


faire  eft  la  meilleure  ;  et  pour  conclufion  faire  ces  trois  pieces  defTufdiftes  font  le 
heaulme  entier. 

Item,  quant  a  larmeure  du  corps,  il  y  en  a  de  deux  faczons  ;  ceft  affavoir  :  la 
premiere  comme  curaffe  a  armer  faufve  que  le  voulant  eft  clox  et  arrefte  a  la  piece, 
par  faczon  que  le  voulant  ne  pent  aller  ne  jouer  hault  ne  bas. 

Item,  lautre  faczon  eft  de  brigandines  ou  aultrement  dit  curraffines,  couvertez  et 
clouees  par  pieces  petittes  depuis  la  poitrine  en  a  bas,  ne  ny  a  aultre  differance  de 
celle  cy  aux  brigandines  que  on  porte  en  la  guerre,  finon  que  tout  ce  que  contient  la 
poitrine  jufques  aux  faulx  eft  dune  feulle  piece  et  fe  lace  du  cofte  de  la  main  droite 
ou  par  darriere  du  long  de  lefchine.  Item,  larreft  eft  efpes,  grox  et  materiel  au  plailir 
de  celui  qui  le  fait  faire. 

Item,  oudit  harnoys  de  corps  y  a  principallement  deux  boucles  doubles,  ou  une 
boucle  double  et  ung  aneau  lime,  ou  meilleu  de  la  poitrine,  plus  hault  quatre  doiz 
que  le  faulx  du  corps,  et  lautre  du  coufte  feneftre  longues  ;  de  lautre  ung  pou  plus 
haulte  :  lefquelles  deux  boucles  ou  aneau  font  pour  atacher  ledit  heaume  a  la  curaffe 
ou  brigandine  ;  ceft  affavoir  :  la  premiere  fert  pour  metre  une  treffe  ou  corroye  oudit 
heaulme  a  une  autre  pareille  boucle  comme  celle  la,  qui  eft  oudit  heaume  clouee  fur 
la  pate  dudit  heaume  davant  le  plus  a  lendroit  du  meillieu  du  travers  que  len  peult, 
et  ont  voulentiers  lefdidtes  treffes  et  couvertures  de  cueur  trois  doubles  lun  fur  lautre; 
lautre  feconde  boucle  ou  aneau  a  main  feneftre  refpont  pareillement  a  une  aultre 
boucle  ou  aneau  qui  eft  oudit  heaulme  a  la  feneftre  partie  sur  la  pate  dudit  heaulme  ; 
et  ces  deux  boucles  ou  aneaux  feneftres  fervent  efpeciallement  pour  la  buffe,  ceft  affa- 
voir que  quand  le  rochet  atache  [a  touche)  fur  le  hault  de  lefcuczon  ou  heaume,  cefte 
treffe  ou  courroye  deflufdifte  garde  que  le  heaulme  ne  fe  joigne  a  la  joe  feneftre  par 
la  faczon  que  ledit  joufteur  en  puiffe  eftre  depis. 

Item,  en  ladi6te  brigandine  ou  curaffe  y  a  en  la  feneftre  partie  en  la  poitrine, 
pres  du  bort  du  braz  feneftre,  a  ung  doy  pres  endroit  le  tour  du  braz  hault,  troiz  doiz 
plus  bas  que  la  boucle  de  quoy  on  laffe  ladifte  brigandine  fur  lefpaulle,  ung  crampon 
de  fer  du  gros  dun  doy  en  ront,  dont  les  deux  chefz  font  rivez  par  dedens  et  ladifte 
piece  au  mieulx  quil  fe  puet  faire,  et  dedens  dudit  crampon  fe  paffe  deux  ou  trois 
tours  une  groffe  treffe  bonne  et  forte  qui  depuis  paffe  parmy  la  poire,  laquelle  poire 
eft  aflife  et  cache  ledit  crampon  ;  de  laquelle  poire  la  haulteur  eft  vouluntiers  dun 
bon  doy,  fur  laquelle  lefcu  repofe,  et  eft  atache  par  lefdits  pertuys  dudit  efcu  de  la 
treffe  qui  eft  atachee  audit  crampon,  laquelle  fort  par  le  meilleu  de  ladidte  poire. 

Item,  en  ladifte  curaffe  y  a  darriere,  ou  meilleu  du  creux  de  lefpaulles,  une 
boucle  ou  aneau  qui  fert  pour  atacher  une  treffe  ou  courroie  a  une  autre  boucle  du 
heaulme  darriere,  fi  que  le  heaulme  ne  chee  davant,  et  afEn  aufli  que  la  veue  foit  de 
la  haulteur  et  demeure  ferme  que  le  joufteur  la  vieult. 

Item,  oultre  plus  en  ladi6te  curaffe  y  a  ung  petit  aneau  plus  bas  que  nul  des 
aultres,  aflis  plus  vers  le  faillement  des  couftez  a  la  main  feneftre,  auquel  len  atache 
dune  aultre  legiere  treffe  la  main  de  fer,  laquelle  main  de  fer  eft  tout  dune  piece  et 
arme  la  main  et  le  braz  jufques  troiz  ou  quatre  doiz  oultre  le  code. 

Item,  depuis  le  code  jufques  au  hault,  cache  {cachant)  tout  le  tour  de  lefpaulle 
y  a  ung  petit  garde  braz  dune  piece,  et  fe  defcent  jufques  fur  le  code  quatre  doiz. 


APPENDIX  D 


179 


Item,  a  la  main  droite  y  a  ung  petit  gantellet  lequel  fe  appelle  gaignepain  ;  et 
depuis  le  gantellet  jufques  oultre  le  code,  en  lieu  de  avant  braz,  y  a  une  armeure  qui 
fe  appelle  efpaulle  de  mouton,  laquelle  eft  faczonnee  large  endroit  le  code,  et  fe 
efpanouift  aval,  et  endroit  la  ploieure  du  braz  fe  revient  ploier  par  faczon  que,  quant 
len  a  mis  la  lance  en  larreft,  laditte  ploieure  de  laditte  efpaulle  de  mouton  couvre 
depuis  la  ploieure  du  braz  ung  bon  doy  en  hault. 

Item,  pour  armeure  de  lefpaulle  droite  y  a  ung  petit  garde  braz  fait  a  lames,  fur 
lequel  y  a  une  rondelle  joignant  une  place,  laquelle  rondelle  fe  haulfe  et  fe  belTe  quant 
on  vieult  metre  la  lance  en  larreft,  et  fe  revient  recheoir  fur  la  lance  quant  elle  eft 
oudit  arreft,  par  telle  faczon  quelle  couvre  ce  que  eft  defarme  en  hault  dentre  la 
lance  et  ledit  garde  braz. 

Item,  auffi  oudit  royaulme  de  France  fe  arment  de  harnoys  de  jambes  quant  ilz 
jouftent. 

Item,  quant  a  la  faczon  des  eftacheures  dudit  harnoys  par  bas,  Ci  que  il  ne  four- 
monte  point  encontremont  par  force  des  copz,  je  men  palTe  a  le  declairer  pour  le 
prefent,  car  il  y  en  a  plufeurs  faczons.  Ne  auffi  daultre  part  ne  me  femble  pas  fi  quil 
fe  doye  divulguer  fi  publicquement. 

Item,  quant  eft  des  lances,  les  plus  convenables  raifons  de  longueur  entre  grappe 
et  rochet,  et  aulTy  celles  de  quoy  on  ufe  plus  communuement  eft  de  treze  piez  ou  de 
treze  piez  et  demy  de  long. 

Item,  et  lefdiz  rochez  font  vouluntiers  de  ouverture  entre  chafcune  des  trois 
pointes  de  deux  doiz  et  demy  ou  trois  au  plus. 

Item,  lefdiftes  grappes  font  voulentiers  plaines  de  petittes  pointes  agues  {aigues) 
comme  petiz  dyamens,  de  groffeur  comme  petittes  nouzilles,  lefquelles  pointes  fe 
viennent  arrefter  dedens  le  creux  de  larreft,  lequel  creux  de  larreft  plain  de  bois  ou 
de  plomb  affin  que  lefdittes  pointes  ne  puiffent  fouir,  par  quoy  vient  ladi<5te  lance  a 
tenir  le  cop  :  en  faczon  quil  fault  que  elle  fe  rompe  en  pieces,  que  len  affigne  bien 
ou  que  le  joufteur  ploye  lefchine  fi  fort  que  bien  le  fente. 

Item,  les  rondes  deffufdiftes  lances  ne  couvrent  tout  autour  au  plus  aller  que  ung 
demy  pie,  et  font  vouluntiers  de  trois  doiz  defpes  de  bourre  feutree  entre  deux  cuirs, 
du  coufte  devers  la  main  par  dedens. 

Et  oultre  plus  pour  faire  fin  a  la  maniere  que  len  fe  arme  en  fait  de  jouxtes  ou 
pais  et  contree  que  jay  cy  defous  declaie,  ne  diray  aultre  chofe  pour  le  prefent,  finon 
que  ung  bon  ferviteur  dun  joufteur  doit  regarder  principallement  trois  chofes  fur  fon 
maiftre  avant  quil  luy  donne  fa  lance  ;  ceft  afiavoir  que  ledit  joufteur  ne  foit  defarme 
de  nulles  de  fes  armeures  par  le  cop  precedent  ;  laultre  fi  eft  que  ledit  joufteur  ne 
foit  point  eftourdy  ou  mehaigne  pareillement  par  ledit  cops  precedent  quil  aura  eu  ; 
le  tiers  fi  eft  que  ledit  ferviteur  doit  bien  regarder  fil  y  a  autre  preft  fur  les  rengs  qui 
ait  fa  lance  fur  faulte,  et  preft  pour  joufter  centre  fondit  maiftre,  afiin  que  fondit 
maiftre  ne  tienne  trop  longuement  fans  faire  courfe  la  lance  en  larreft,  ou  quil  ne  face 
fa  courfe  en  vain  et  fans  que  autre  vienne  a  lencontre  de  luy. 


APPENDIX  E 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  ORDINANCES  OF  THE  ARMOURERS  OF  ANGERS 
STATUTS  DES  ARMURIERS  FOURBISSEURS  D'ANGERS,  1448 

1.  Quiconque  vouldra  estre  armurier  ou  brigandinier,  fourbisseur  et  garnisseur 
d'espees  et  de  harnois  .  ,  .  faire  le  pourra.  .  .  . 

2.  It.  les  quels  maistres  desd.  mestiers  seront  tenus  besoigner  et  faire  ouvrage  de 
bonnes  etofFes,  c'est  assavoir  pour  tant  que  touche  les  armuriers,  ils  feront  harnois 
blancs  pour  hommes  d'armes  de  toute  epreuve  qui  est  a  dire  d'arbalestes  a  tilloles  et 
a  coursel  a  tout  le  moins  demie  espreuve,  qui  est  a  entendre  d'arbaleste  a  crocq  et 
traict  e'archiers,  et  pour  tant  que  touche  les  brigandiniers  ils  seront  tenus  pareille- 
ment  faire  brigandines,  c'est  assavoir  les  plus  pesantes  de  26  a  27  livres  poix  de  marc 
tout  au  plus,  tenant  espreuve  d'arbaleste  a  tillolles  et  marquees  de  2  marques,  et  les 
moindres  de  18  a  20  livres,  tel  poix  que  dessusu  et  d'espreuve  d'arbaleste  a  crocq  et 
traict  d'archier,  marquees  d'une  marque.  Et  seront  icelles  brigandines  d'assier, 
trampees  partout  et  aussi  toutes  garnies  de  cuir  entre  les  lames  et  la  toile,  c'est  assa- 
voir en  chacune  rencontre  de  lames,  et  ne  pourront  faire  lesd.  brigandines  de  moindre 
poix  de  lame.  .  .  . 

3.  It.  et  fauldra  qe  lesd.  lames  soient  limees  tout  a  I'entour  a  ce  que  tes  ettoffes 
durent  plus  largement.  .  .  . 

10.  Que  las  marchans  et  ouvriers  desd.  mestiers,  tant  faiseurs  d'espees,  baches, 
guysarmes,  voulges,  dagues  et  autres  habillemens  de  guerre,  seront  tenus  de  faire  tout 
ouvrage  bon,  loyal,  et  marchant. 

11.  It.  que  tous  fourbisseurs  et  garnisseurs  d'espees,  tant  vielles  que  neuves, 
seront  tenus  de  faire  fourraux  de  cuirs  de  vache  et  de  veau,  et  les  jointures  de  cuir 
de  vache,  la  poignee  d'icelles  nouee  de  fouer  [fouet  ?]  et  se  aucunes  poignees  sont 
faictes  de  cuir,  icelles  poignees  seront  garnies  de  fisselles  par  dessouez,  led.  cuir. 

12.  Et  pareillement  les  atelles  des  fourreaux  seront  neufvs  et  de  bois  de  fouteau 
sec.  .  .  . 

18.  It.  que  nuls  marchans  ne  maistres  forains  ne  pourront  tenir  ouvrouers  ne 
boutiques  de  harnois,  brigandines,  javelines,  lances,  picques  ne  espees,  ne  choses  dep- 
pendantes  desd.  mestiers  en  ceste  ville  s'ils  ne  sont  maistres  en  cette  ville. 

Ordonn.  des  rois,  T.  XX,  p.  156,  etc. 


180 


APPENDIX  E  181 

AGREEMENT  TO  SUPPLY  ARMOUR  BY  FOREIGN  ARMOURERS  IN  BORDEAUX 

1375.  Conegude  cause  sie  que  Guitard  de  Junquyeres,  armurer  de  Bordeu, 
Lambert  Braque,  d'Alemaine,  armurer  de  cotes  de  fer,  reconegon  e  autreyan  e  en 
vertat  confessan  aver  pres  e  recebut  de  la  man  de  Moss,  de  Foxis  100  florins  d'aur 
d'Aragon,  per  los  quans  lo  prometan  e  s'obligan  aver  portat  a  Morlaas  60  bacinetz 
ab  capmalh  e  60  cotes  de  fer  o  plus  si  plus  poden,  boos  e  sufficientz. 

Arch,  des  B.  Pyrenees,       302,  fol.  129. 

PERMISSION  GRANTED  BY  LOUIS  XI  TO  FOREIGN  ARMOURERS  TO  PRACTISE 

IN  BORDEAUX  FOR  TWENTY  YEARS 

1490.  Sachent  tous  ,  .  .  que  cum  le  temps  passe  de  6  ans  ou  environ  Estienne 
Daussone,  Ambroye  de  Caron,  Karoles  et  Glaudin  Bellon  natifs  du  pays  de  Mylan 
en  Lombardie  et  Pierre  de  Sonnay  natif  de  la  duche  de  Savoye,  les  quels  ce  fussent 
associes,  acompaignes  et  adjustez  entre  eulx  Tun  avecques  I'autre,  de  faire  leur  resi- 
dence pesonnelle  et  continuelle  a  ouvrer  et  trafiquer  du  mestier  de  armurerie  et  pour 
I'espace  de  20  ans  ou  environ.  .  .  . 

Mw.  dec.  not.  Frapier,  Arch,  de  la  Gironde,  Rev.  d' Aquitaine,  XII,  26. 


APPENDIX  F 


Vlll 


EXPENSES  OF  THE  ROYAL  ARMOURIES,  TEMP.  HENRY  VIII 
Brit.  Mus.,  Cotton.,  Appendix  XXVIII,  f.  76 

1544 

The  charges  of  the  king's  own  armoury  accounting  the  Master  of  the  Armourie's 
fee,  the  Clerk  &  Yeoman's  wages  and  5  armourers  for  his  Highness'  own  person  with 
I  Gilder  2  Lockyers,  i  Millman  and  a  prentice,  in  the  year. 

In  primis  the  Master  of  the  Armouries  fee  by  the  year 

and  is  paid  by  the  Customer  of  Cichister's  hands  , 
Item  the  Clerk  and  Yeoman  both,  for  their  wages  22/- 

the  month  apiece  and  is  paid  by  the  Treasurer  of  the 

Chamber  by  the  year  ...... 

Item  Erasmus  the  chief  Armourer  hath  for  his  wages 

by  the  month  26/8  and  is  paid  by  the  said  Treasurer 
Item  Old  Martyn  hath  38/10  the  month  which  is  by  the 

year  ......... 

Item  Mathew  Dethyke  hath  24/-  the  month  which  is 

by  the  year  ....... 

Item  Hans  Clinkedag  hath  24/-  the  month  which  is  by 

the  year  ........ 

Item  Jasper  Kemp  hath  24/-  the  month  which  is  by 

the  year  ........ 

Item  the  Gilders  wages  by  the  year  .... 

Item  the  2  Lockyers  have  20/-  a  month  apiece  which 

is  by  the  year  ....... 

Item  I  Millman  24/-  a  month  which  is  by  the  year  . 
Item  for  the  prentice  6d.  for  the  day  .... 

Item  for  8  bundles  of  steel  to  the  said  armoury  for  the 

whole  year  38/-  the  bundle  ..... 
Item  for  the  costs  of  the  house  at       o  o  the  month 

which  is  by  the  year  ...... 


Sm. 


XXXI 

xxviii 
xvii 

XXV 
XV 
XV 
XV 

xxvi 

XV 

ix 

XV 

xxiiii 


c.  U. 

iii  viii 


XI 


Xll 


VI 


Xll 

xii 

xii 
xl 

xii 

x 

iiii 

xi 


s. 
viii 


d. 

iiii 


182 


APPENDIX  F 


183 


In  primis  the  wages  of  12  armourers,  2  locksmiths  and 
4  prentices  to  be  divided  into  two  shops,  every  of 
the  Armourers  their  wages  at  24/-  the  month  and 
the  Locksmiths  at  20/-  a  month  and  every  prentice 
6d.  the  day  amounteth  by  the  year  to  . 

Item  the  wages  of  2  millmen  at  24/-  the  month  . 

Item  to  every  of  the  said  shops  4  loads  of  charcoal  a 
month  at  9/-  the  load  ..... 

Item  for  16  bundles  of  steel  to  serve  both  shops  a  whole 
year  at  38/-  the  bundle  ..... 

Item  I  hide  of  buff  leather  every  month  for  both  shops 
at  10/-  the  hide  ...... 

Item  for  both  shops  i  cowhide  a  month  at  6/8  the  hide 

Item  one  100  of  iron  every  month  for  both  shops  at 
6/8  the  100 

Item  in  wispe  steel  for  both  shops  every  month  15  4I 
at  4d.  the  lb.       .        .        .  .... 

Item  in  wire  monthly  to  both  shops  1 2  lb.  at  4d.  lb.  . 

Item  in  nails  &  buckles  for  both  shops  monthly  5/- 

Item  to  every  of  the  said  Armourers  Locksmiths  & 
Millmen  for  their  liveries  4  yards  broad  cloth  at  5/- 
the  yard  and  3  yards  of  carsey  at  2/-  the  yard  which 
amounteth  in  the  year  for  12  armourers  2  Lock- 
smiths and  2  Millmen  at  26/-  for  a  man 

So  that  these  12  armourers  2  Locksmiths  2  Millmen 
and  4  prentices  will  make  yearly  with  the  said  16 
bundles  of  steel  and  the  other  stuff  aforesaid  32 
harnesses  complete,  every  harness  to  be  rated  to  the 
kings  Highness  at  ^12  00  which  amounteth  in  the 
year  towards  his  Grace's  charge  .... 

Item  of  the  said  Armourers  to  be  divided  into  2  shops 
as  is  aforesaid  4  of  them  shall  be  taken  out  of 
Erasmus'  shop  wherein  his  Grace  shall  save  yearly 
in  their  wages  and  living  the  sum  of  . 


civ 

xii 

xxxi 

iiii 

xlvi 

xix 

XXX 

viii 

vi 

X 

iiii 

vi 

iiii 

vi 

Ixv 

lii 

Ixv 

XX 

xvi 

C  XX 

iii  iiii 

iiii 

Ixviii 

VUl 


Vlll 


APPENDIX  G 


PETITION  OF  THE  ARMOURERS  OF  LONDON  TO  QUEEN  ELIZABETH 

July  13th,  1590  (Lansdowne  MS.  63,  5) 

To  the  Right  Honourable  the  Lords  &  others  of  the  Queens  Most  honourable 
Privie  Counseil. 

In  most  humble  wise  shew  &  beseche  your  honours  your  poor  suppliants  the 
Armourers  of  London  that  whereas  we  having  been  at  great  charges  these  six  or 
seven  years  as  well  in  making  &  providing  tools  &  instruments  as  in  entertaining 
and  keeping  of  foreign  men  from  beyond  the  seas  to  learn  &  practice  the  making 
of  armour  of  all  sorts  which  by  the  goodness  of  God  we  have  obtained  in  such  sort 
that  at  this  time  we  make  not  onlie  great  quantitie  But  also  have  farre  better  armors 
than  that  wch  cometh  from  beyond  the  Seas  as  is  sufficiently  proved,  and  fearing 
that  for  lack  of  sale  and  utterance  of  the  same  we  shall  not  be  able  to  keep  &  main- 
tain the  number  of  our  apprentices  &  servants  which  are  vy  well  practised 
in  making  of  all  sorts  of  armors.  Our  humble  suite  therfore  to  yr  honors  is 
that  it  shall  please  you  to  be  a  means  to  Her  Mtie  that  we  may  be  appointed 
to  bring  into  her  Mties  Store  at  reasonable  prices  monthly  or  quarterly  the 
Armor  that  we  shall  make  till  Her  Mties  Store  shall  be  furnished  with  all  sorts 
of  Armor  in  such  numbers  as  Her  Mtie  shall  think  good  &  appoint.  And  we  and 
our  posterity  shall  not  only  pry  for  your  Honors  but  also  being  strengthened  by  your 
Honors  we  do  not  doubt  to  serve  this  land  of  Englishe  Armor  in  future  years  as  well 
as  it  is  of  Englishe  Calyvers  and  muskets  wch  within  this  thirtie  years  or  there- 
abouts was  servd  altogether  with  Outlandish  peces  with  no  money  in  respect  of 
those  wch  are  now  made  in  this  land,  And  we  are  the  more  bould,  to  make  this  our 
sute  to  your  Honors  because  it  is  not  a  particular  Comoditie  to  us  but  a  benefit  to 
the  whole  land  as  may  be  proved  by  these  reasons  viz  : 

1.  Armour  made  in  this  land  being  not  good,  the  makers  may  be  punished  by 
the  laws  provided  for  the  same. 

2.  It  is  a  means  to  set  a  great  number  of  Her  Majesty's  subjects  on  work  in 
this  land,  which  now  setteth  a  great  number  of  foreigners  on  work  in  other  lands. 

3.  It  will  furnish  the  land  with  skillfull  men  to  make  and  fit  armour  to  men's 
bodies  in  far  better  order  than  it  hath  been  heretofore, 

4.  We  shall  be  provided  within  this  land  of  good  armour,  what  restrayntments 
or  quarrels  so  ever  be  in  other  lands,  whereas  hertofore  we  have  been  beholding  to 
other  countries  for  very  bad  armour. 

5.  We  shall  be  free  from  all  those  dangers  that  may  ensue  by  the  number  of 
bad  and  insufiicient  armour  which  are  brought  into  this  land  by  unskilfull  men  that 

184 


APPENDIX  G 


185 


know  not  what  they  buy  and  sell  it  again  to  them  that  know  not  where  to  have 
better  for  their  money  although  they  know  it  to  be  very  bad. 

Her  Majesties  armories  at  this  parte  are  very  weakly  furnished  and  that  wch 
remaynes  is  neither  good  in  substance  nor  yet  in  fashion.  So  as  if  it  might  stande 
in  wth  yor.  LL.  good  liking  it  is  very  needfull  the  same  should  be  supplied  wth 
better  choise. 

The  armor  that  is  here  made  is  accompted  far  better  than  that  wch  cometh  from 
beyond  the  Seas  and  would  well  servi  for  he  Mties  store  So  as  it  might  be  delivered 
in  good  tyme  wch  the  Armorers  will  undertake  to  prove  but  the  armor  wch  they 
make  is  wholly  blacke,  so  that  unless  they  will  undertake  to  serve  white  wth  al  it 
will  not  be  so  serviceable  The  proportion  that  shall  be  delivered  I  refer  to  yor  11. 
consideracion  theire  offer  is  to  deliver  to  the  number  of  eight  thousand  wthin  fyve 
yeres  and  so  after  a  further  proporcion  it  so  shall  seem  good  to  yor  LL.  Theire 
severll  prices  are  hereunder  written  wch  is  as  lowe  as  can  bring  it  unto. 

Launce  armor  compleat        iii  li    vi  s    viii  d. 

Corslets  compleate        xxx  s. 

Curate  of  proofe  wth  poldrons        xl  s. 

Ordinary  curate  wth  poldrons        xxvi  s    viii  d. 

Target  of  proofe        xxx  s. 

Murrions        iii  s.    iiii  d. 

Burgonetts        iiii  s. 

Endorsed  the  humble  petition  of  the  Armorers  of  London. 

It  is  signed  by  Richard  Harford. 

John  sewell. 

Richard  Woode  RW. 

Wm.  Pickering.  13  July  1590. 

Lee  to  inform. 


24 


APPENDIX  H 


UNDERTAKING  OF  THE  ARMOURERS'  COMPANY  OF  LONDON  TO 
MAKE  CERTAIN  ARMOURS  EVERY  SIX  MONTHS  AND 
THE  PRICES  OF  THE  SAME 

From  records  of  the  Company  dated  17th  March,  16 18 

The  Privy  Council  on  the  15th  of  March,  16 18,  made  inquiry  : — 

"  Who  be  the  ingrossers  of  Plate  to  make  Armor  in  London,  and  secondly  what 
is  the  reason  of  the  scarcity  of  Armor,  and  how  it  may  be  remedied  ?  " 

The  Company  agreed  to  the  following  answer  being  sent  : — 

"  That  concerning  the  first  we  know  no  ingrossers  of  such  Plate  and  we  have 
called  to  our  Hall  all  the  workmen  of  Armor  in  London  and  we  find  them  very  few, 
for  that  in  regard  of  the  long  peace  which,  God  be  thanked,  we  have  had,  they  have 
settled  themselves  to  other  trades,  not  having  imployment  for  making  of  Armor,  nor 
the  means  to  utter  the  same  if  they  should  make  it,  for  the  remedy  of  which  scarcity, 
if  it  please  the  Privy  Council  to  take  order  that  the  Armorers'  work  to  be  by  them 
made  in  London,  may  be  taken  and  paid  for  at  every  six  months  end.  They  will 
undertake,  if  continually  employed,  to  use  their  best  means  for  provision  of  stuff  to 
make  armor  in  every  six  months  to  furnish  One  hundred  Lance  Armor,  Two  hundred 
Light  Horsemen's  Armor,  and  Two  hundred  Footmen's  Armor  at  such  rates  and 
prices  as  followeth." 

The  Lance  Armor,  containing  Breast,  Back,  Gorget,  Close  Head  piece, 
Poulderons  and  vambraces.  Gushes,  and  one  Gauntlett,  to  colored 
Russet,  at  the  price  of       .......        ,    ^4    o  o 

The  Light  Horseman's  Armor  being  Breast,  Back,  Gorgett  a  barred 
Head  piece,  Pouldrons,  and  an  Elbowe  Gauntlett,  to  be  Russet,  at 
the  price  of      .........        .    ^2  10  o 

The  Footman's  Armor,  containing  Breast,  Back,  Gorgett,  head  piece, 

and  laces,  with  iron  joints,  to  be  colored  russet,  at  the  price  of      .  10  o 


186 


APPENDIX  I 


PROCLAMATION  AGAINST  EXCESSIVE  USE  OF  GOLD  AND  SILVER 
FOLIATE,  WHICH  IS  TO  BE  CONFINED  TO  ARMOUR  AND 

ENSIGNS  OF  HONOUR 

S.P.D.  Jac.  I,  cv,  February  4th,  16 18.    Procl.  Collec.  65 

.  .  .  .  and  furthermore  the  better  to  keepe  the  gold  and  silver  of  this  kingedome  not 
onely  within  the  Realme  from  being  exported,  but  that  it  may  also  bee  continued  in 
moneys  and  coyne,  for  the  use  and  commerce  of  his  Majestie  and  his  loving  subjects 
and  not  turned  into  any  dead  masse  of  Plate  nor  exhausted  and  consumed  in  vanities 
of  Building  and  pompous  use  of  Gold  and  Silver  Foliate  which  have  beene  in  the 
Reignes  of  divers  kings  of  this  Realme  .  .  .  and  the  better  to  prevent  the  unnecessary 
and  excessive  waste  of  Gold  and  Silver  Foliate  within  this  realeme  ;  His  Majestie 
doth  likewise  hereby  prohibit  and  forbid  'I  hat  no  Gold  or  Silver  Foliate  shall  be  from 
henceforth  wrought,  used  or  imployed  in  any  Building,  Seeling,  Waniscot,  Bedsteds, 
Chayres,  Stooles,  Coaches  or  any  other  ornaments  whatsoever,  Except  it  be  Armour 
or  Weapons  or  in  Armes  and  Ensignes  of  Honour  at  Funerals. 

Feb.  4.  161 8. 


187 


APPENDIX  J 


ERECTION  OF  PL A.TING- MILLS  AT  ERITH  BY  CAPT.  JOHN  MARTIN 

1624 

State  Papers  Domestic,  Jac.  I,  Vol.  CLXXX,  71 

King  Henry  the  eight  being  resolved  to  have  his  armorye  alw^ayes  stronge  and 
richly  furnished  wt  thirtie  or  fowertie  thousand  armes  to  be  in  Rediness  to  serve 
all  the  necessities  of  th  times  (how  suddaine  so  evr)  caused  a  batterie  mill  to  be  built 
at  Detford  nere  Grenew^^^  for  the  batteringe  of  plaetes  for  all  sorts  of  armes  but  dyed 
before  the  bsiness  w^as  perfected. 

In  the  time  of  Queen  Elizabeth  Captain  John  Martin  and  myself  resolvinge  on 
endeavors  to  the  furtheringe  so  good  a  worke  resolved  y*  I  should  go  to  Inspurge  wch 
is  uppon  the  Germaine  Alpes  and  into  Lukland  likew^ise  to  bring  over  into  England 
seven  or  eight  plaeters,  the  beste  that  might  be  found  (w^ch  was  donne  to  ow^"  very  great 
chardges)  and  im  ediately  ther  uppo  fallinge  to  worke  in  a  batterie  mill  wch  we  like- 
wise erected  nere  unto  Erith  in  Kent  and  in  y*^  place  wrought  as  many  plates  of  all 
sorts  as  served  very  nere  for  twentie  thousand  armors  and  targets  never  having  the 
misterie  of  plaeting  mills  in  England  before.  All  wch  plaeters  formerly  brought 
over  are  now  dead  save  one,  and  he  of  so  cunninge  and  obstinate  a  disposition  that 
he  would  nev^  yet  be  brought  to  teach  any  Englishman  the  true  misterie  of  plaeting 
unto  this  day. 

The  beste  plaetes  that  have  been  formerly  knowen  to  be  in  Christendome  have 
been  made  of  Inspurg  stuff  wch  place  hath  continually  served  Milan  Naples  and 
other  nations,  and  latelie  England  also,  wch  place  beinge  so  remote  and  in  the 
Emperor  his  owne  countrie,  it  is  not  possible  that  wth  any  conveniencey  any  stronge 
plaetes  can  be  now  bought  from  thence  as  formerly  we  have  had.  But  if  his  Ma^i^ 
will  be  plesed  to  have  his  armorie  continually  furnished  wth  thirtie  or  fortie  thousand 
armes  or  more  to  what  number  he  shall  be  beste  plesid  as  hath  been  the  course  and 
resolution  of  his  Roiall  pdecessors,  y*^  may  now  be  done  wth  Englishe  Irone,  by  a 
misterie  yet  unknown,  either  to  smolten  plaetes  or  armour  and  to  be  of  such 
strength  and  lightnes,  for  the  ease  and  pservation  of  the  life  of  the  souldier  as 
none  can  be  better  found  in  any  nation  in  Christendome  from  the  pistole  to  the 
musket. 

It  hath  been  observed  in  all  antient  histories  and  in  the  rule  of  our  later  moderne 
wars,  that  the  goodness  strength  and  lightness  of  armes  hath  been  so  great  an  incor- 
adgement  unto  the  souldier  as  hath  made  him  stand  faste  in  the  time  of  great  and 
strong  chardges  of  the  enemye,  and  to  give  valiant  and  couradgeous  chardges, 
and  assaults  when  they  have  been  assured  of  the  strength  and  goodness  of  theyre 
armes. 

188 


APPENDIX  J  189 

The  raetes  for  Plaetes  and  armors  exactly  examined  for  the  prices  the  strength 
and  lightness  considered  are  thus  reduced. 


The  chardge  of  a  tun  of  Armor  plaetes 
Two  chaldron  of  coles  wt.  carriage  will  be 
The  workmen  for  battering  this  tun  of  plaetes  will  have 

uppon  every  hundred  4/-  . 
Reparation  weekly  for  the  mill 
A  Clarke's  wages  weekly 

Extraordinary  chardges  toe  &  froe  for  carridges 


£18    o  o 
112  o 


o  o 

1 2  O 

1 2  O 

10  O 


These  particular  chardges  come  to  . 

The  true  chardge  of  all  such  sorts  of  armor  as  they  will  stand  you  in  wt.  their 
severall  pportions  and  such  apporveable  goodness  as  we  never  heretofore  have  had. 

Sixe  hundred  of  iron  will  make  five  hundred  of  plaetes 

wch,  will  be  a  skore  of  ordinary  curatts  of  pistoll 

proofe  wch.  cometh  toe  wth  pouldrons      .  .  5100 

The  Armourers  may  make  them  wt  due  shape  black 

nayle  and  lether  them  for  .  .  .  .7100 

These  twentie  armours  will  yeild        ,  .  .      26    o  o 

So  in  these  twentie  armours  is  clerely  gained  the 

sum  of     .  .  .  .  .  .1300 

Power  hundred  of  plates  will  make  20  paier  of  curatts 

wt  out  pouldrons  .  .  .  .  .3120 

The  Armorers  may  pportion  them,  black  lether  &  naile 

them  for  .  .  .  .  ,  .600 

These  20  paire  of  curatts  will  yeld      .  .  .      20    o  o 

In  these  20  paire  of  curatts  is  clerely  gained    .  .  1080 

The  chardge  of  20  lance  armours. 

Sixteen  hundred  of  plaetes  will  make  twentie  lance 

armours  wch  come  to       .  .  .  .1480 

The  Armourers  may  finishe  them  upp  for  fourtie  shil- 
lings the  armour  wch  comes  to     .  .  .      40    o  o 

These  20  launce  armours  will  yeld  fower  pounds  a  piece 

wch  amounteth  unto        .  .  .  .      80    o  o 

So  yt  in  these  20  launce  armours  is  clerely  gained       .      25  12  o 

Five  hundred  of  plaetes  will  make  twentie  proof  targetts 

wch  will  come  to  .  .  .  .4100 

The  armourers  may  finishe  them  lether  them  and  blacke 

them  with  all  other  chardges  for   .  .  ,1200 

Thes  targets  will  yeld  (24S.^ )  the  piece  .  .2600 

In  these  targetts  may  be  cleared         .  .  .  9100 

^  An  error  in  the  original — this  should  be  26s. 


190        THE  ARMOURER  AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Twelve  hundred  of  plaetes  will  make  20  paire  of  stronge 

curatts  with  stronge  capps  wch  will  stand  in  .  ^Tio  16  o 
The  Armourers  may  finishe  them  for  (30s.)  the  paire 

wch  amounteth  unto        .  ,  .  .      30    o  o 

These  20  paier  of  stronge  curatts  wt  their  capps  will 

yeld  4  li.  the  paier  wch  cometh  toe  .  .      80    o  o 

So  that  by  these  20  paier  of  stronge  curatts  will  be 

clerely  gayned      .  .  .  ,  .      39  10^  o 

With  fower  plaeters  may  be  wrought  up  in  one  weeke 
3700  weight  of  plates.  The  pfitt  of  wch  weekly, 
as  by  the  particulars  may  appear  will  be    ,  .     98    14  o 

And  if  these  fower  plaeters  be  emploied  the  whole  year 
(abating  one  month  in  the  year  for  idle  dayes)  it 
amounteth  unto  per  ann    .  .  .  ,4737li.i2  o 

^  Should  be  4s. 


APPENDIX  K 


HALL-MARK  OF  THE  ARMOURERS'  COMPANY 
Carolus  I,  ann.  7,  1631.    Rymer,  Vol.  XIX,  309 

"John  Franklin,  William  Crouch,  John  Ashton,  Thomas  Stephens,  Rowland 
Foster,  Nicholas  Marshall,  William  Coxe,  Edward  Aynesley,  Armourers  &  freemen 
of  the  company  of  Armourers  ar  ordered  to  deliver  1 500  armours  each  month  with 
arms,  pikes  &c.  and  to  train  prentices  and  to  mend,  dress  &  stamp  armours."  The 
document  goes  on  to  state  "  you  ar  to  approve  of  all  such  armour  of  the  said  common 
armes  &  trayned  bands  as  shall  be  found  fit  for  service,  and  shall  trye  all  sorts  of  gunnes, 
pikes,  bandaliers  of  the  said  common  armes  and  trayned  bands  before  they  be  used  or 
excersied  and  to  approve  of  such  as  are  serviceable  for  warres  at  the  owners  charges 
and  being  proved  shall  allow  as  fit  for  service  and  allowing  shall  stamp  the  same  with 
A.  and  a  Crown  being  the  hall  mark  for  the  company  of  workmen  armourers  of 
London  which  marke  or  stamp  our  pleasure  is  shall  with  consent  of  the  lord  lieu- 
tenant or  his  deputy  lieutenant  remayne  in  their  custodye  who  shall  have  the  charge 
to  be  intrusted  with  the  execution  of  this  service.  .  .  .  And  because  diverse  cutlers, 
smythes,  tynkers  &  othe  botchers  of  armes  by  their  unskilfulness  have  utterly  spoiled 
many  armes,  armours  gunnes  and  pykes,  and  bandoliers  .  .  .  we  doe  hereby  prohibit 
that  noe  person  or  persons  whatever,  not  having  served  seven  years  or  been  brought 
up  as  an  apprentice  or  apprentices  in  the  trade  and  mysterie  of  an  armourer,  gun- 
maker,  pyke-maker  and  bandolier-maker  and  thereto  served  their  full  tyme  of  seven 
years  as  aforesaid  ...  do  make,  alter,  change,  dress  or  repayr,  prove  or  stamp  any  armes, 
armours,  gunnes,  pykes  or  bandoliers  .  .  .  we  do  absolutely  forbid  that  no  iron- 
monger, cutler  or  chandler  or  other  person  whatsoever  doe  vent  or  sell  any  armours, 
gunnes,  pikes  or  bandoliers  or  any  part  of  them  except  such  as  shall  be  proved  and 
stamped  with  the  said  hall  marke  of  the  company  of  workmen  armourers  aforesaid 
being  the  proofe  marke  .  .  .  that  hereafter  there  shall  be  but  one  uniform  Fashion  of 
Armour  of  the  said  Trayned  Bands  throughout  our  said  Kingdome  of  England  & 
Dominion  of  Wales  .  .  .  whereof  the  Patterns  are  and  shall  remayne  from  tyme  to 
tyme  in  our  said  Office  (of  Ordinance)." 


191 


APPENDIX  L 


PETITION  OF  THE  WORKMEN  ARMOURERS  OF  LONDON  TO 

THE  COUNCIL 

S.P.D.  Car.  I,  cclxxxix,  93,  May,  1635 

Petitioners  being  few  in  number  &  most  of  them  aged  about  7  years  past  sued 
to  Her  Mtie  for  some  employment  for  preservation  of  the  manufacture  of  armour 
making  within  the  kingdom.  Her  Mtie  on  advice  &  report  of  the  Council  of  War 
granted  petitioners  a  patent  which  2  years  passed  the  great  seal  &  was  then  called 
for  by  the  Council  for  further  consideration.  Pray  them  to  take  the  same  into  con- 
sideration and  the  distress  of  petitioners  &  either  to  pass  the  patent  or  if  there  be  any 
omission  in  it  to  give  orders  for  drawing  up  another. 


192 


APPENDIX  M 


EXTRACT  FROM  SURVEY  OF  THE  TOWER  ARMOURY,  1660 

Harl.  MS.  7457 

Greenwich  Wee  doe  find  aswell  upon  our  owne  view  as  upon  the  information 
of  diverse  officers  of  the  Armoury  stoorekeeper  and  others  That 
dureing  the  time  of  the  late  distraccions  The  severall  Armes  amunition  and  Habih- 
ments  of  Warre  formerly  remaineing  in  the  greene  Gallery  at  Greenwich  were  all 
taken  and  carryed  away  by  sundry  Souldiers  who  left  the  doore  open  ;  That  sundry 
of  the  said  Armes  were  afterwards  brought  into  the  Tower  of  London  by  Mr. 
Anneslye  where  they  are  still  remaineing  ;  That  the  Wainescot  in  the  said  Gallery  is 
now  all  pull'd  downe  and  carryed  away  ;  and  (as  We  are  informed)  was  imployed  in 
wainescotting  the  house  in  the  Tower  where  the  said  Mr.  Anneslye  lived  ;  That  a  great 
part  of  the  severall  Tooles  and  other  utensils  for  makeing  of  Armour  formerly 
remaineing  in  the  Master  Armourers  workehouse  there  and  at  the  Armourers  Mill, 
were  alsoe  within  the  tyme  of  the  said  distraccions  taken  and  carryed  away  (saving 
two  old  Trunkes  bound  about  with  Iron,  which  are  still  remaineing  in  the  said 
workehouse.  One  old  Glazeing  wheele,  still  at  the  Mill,  and  one  other  glazeing  wheele 
sold  to  a  Cutler  in  Shoo  lane)  :  That  sundry  of  the  said  Tooles  and  other  utensills  have 
since  byn  converted  and  sold  to  private  uses,  by  those  who  within  the  tyme  of  the  late 
distraccions  had  the  Command  and  care  of  the  said  armes  and  Tooles,  both  at  Green- 
wich and  at  the  Tower  :  That  diverse  of  the  said  Tooles  are  still  in  other  private  mens 
hands,  who  pretend  they  bought  them  :  That  the  great  Anville  (called  the  great  Beare) 
is  now  in  the  custodye  of  Mr.  Michaell  Basten,  locksmith  at  Whitehall,  and  the 
Anville  knowne  by  the  name  of  the  little  Beare,  is  in  the  custodie  of  Thomas  Cope, 
one  of  His  Majesties  Armourers  ;  And  one  Combe  stake  in  the  Custody  of  Henry 
Keeme  one  other  of  his  Majesties  Armourers  And  that  the  said  Mill  formerly 
employed  in  grinding  and  glazeing  and  makeing  cleane  of  Armes,  is  destroyed  and 
converted  to  other  uses  by  one  Mr.  Woodward  who  claims  it  by  virtue  of  a  Graunt 
from  King  James  (of  blessed  memorye)  but  the  officers  of  the  Armorye  (for  his 
Majesties  use)  have  it  now  in  their  possession. 

Memorandum  ^^^^  severall  distinguishments  of  the  Armors  and  Furnitures 
before  mencioned,  viz'  The  first  serviceable,  The  second  defective, 
and  to  be  repaired,  The  third  unserviceable,  in  their  owne  kinds,  yet  may  be  employed 
for  necessary  uses,  are  soe  reported  by  Richard  Kinge  and  Thomas  Cox,  two  of  his 
Majesties  Armorers  at  Greenwich,  who  were  nominated  and  appointed  in  his  Majesties 
Commission,  under  his  signe  Manual  before  recited,  to  be  assistant  in  this  Service  : 
And  we  doe  thinke  the  same  to  be  by  them  faithfully  and  honestly  soe  distinguished. 
Will.  Legge,  Master  of  his  Majesties  Armories.        J.  Robinson,  Lt:  Ten:  Toure. 

Jo.  Wood,  Barth  Beale. 

25  193 


INDEX 


A 

Alba,  Duke  of,  132 
Albrecht,  Harnischmeister,  9,  134 
Almain  armourers,  14 

 settle  in  England,  16 

Almain  Armourer's  Album,  1 9,  143 
Almain  rivet,  52 
Amman,  Jost,  24,  36 
Angellucci,  Major,  on  "  proof,"  63,  67 
Anvils,  24 
Arbois,  14,  136 
Armenia,  Poisoned  ore  in,  40 
Arming-doublet,  1 06 
Arming-nails,  52 
Arming-points,  30,  109,  ill 
Armour,  Simplicity  of  English,  1 6 

—  Boxes  for,  82 

—  cut  up  for  lock-plates,  1 9 

—  Disuse  of,  116 

—  Painted,  80 

—  reinforced  on  left  side,  52 

—  Scarlet  covering  for,  93 

—  Tinned,  33 

—  Weights  of,  42,  116 
Armourers'  Company  of  London,  1 20 

 absorb  the  Bladesmiths,  1 24 

 and  the  informers  Tipper  and  Dawe,  123 

 employed  for  coin-striking,  123 

 examine  imported  armour,  123 

 Hall-mark  of,  124,  191 

 Regulations  for  apprentices  of,  1 24 

Armourers,  Regulations  for,  57 

—  Marks  of,  70 

 Illustrations  of,  22-4,  36 

Arrows  for  proving  armour,  04 
Ash,  Monument  at,  51,  1 06 
Ashford,  Helm  at,  17,  18 
Ashmolean  Museum,  Pictures  in,  30,  98 

 Leather  gauntlet  in,  96 

 hat,  99 

B 

Banded  mail,  46 
Barcelona,  12 

Bards  of  leather  in  Tower  and  Armeria  Reale, 
Turin,  102 

—  Painting  of,  98 


Barendyne  helm,  17,  II9 
Barrel  for  cleaning  armour,  79 
Baskets  for  armour,  81 
Battering-mills,  22,  35,  1 88 

Beauchamp,  Richard,  Earl  of  Warwick,  effigy  of, 
15,  138 

—  Pageants,  15 
Belleval,  Marquis  de,  II3 
Berardi,  Guigliemo,  Statue  of,  74 
Blewbery,  John,  60 

 Tools  of,  27,  30 

Bordeaux,  12 
Bottes,  Armure  a,  62 

—  cassees,  62 
Bracers  for  archers,  lol 
Bracket  for  sallad,  56 
Bradshaw,  Hat  of,  99 
Brampton,  Nicholas,  88 
Brassard,  Construction  of,  53 

—  of  cuir-bouilli,  loo 
Brescia,  1 3 

Breughel,  Picture  by,  35,  92 
Brigandarius,  Office  of,  61 
Brigandine,  Construction  of,  29,  49 
— -  Marking  of,  7 1 

—  Proving  of,  64 

—  Reinforcing  plates  for  the,  50 

British  Museum,  Anvil  and  pincers  in  the,  24 

 Brigandine  cap,  30 

Brocas  helm,  17,  ill,  119 
Buckram  used  for  armour,  86 
Buff  coat,  Last  use  of,  103 
Bullato,  Baltesar,  1 6 
Burgmair,  Hans,  131 
Burgonet,  Skilful  forging  of,  51 

—  Meyrick's  views  on  the,  54 
Burrel,  Walter,  on  iron-smelting,  39 
Burring  machine,  36 

Buttin,  Charles,  viii,  62,  68,  loo 

c 

Calverly,  Sir  Hugh,  discards  leg-armour,  115 

Camail,  Construction  of,  45 

Camelio,  Vittore,  131 

Campi,  Bartolomeo,  37,  76,  1 32 

Cantoni  brothers,  133 

Castile,  Helmet  of  King  of,  73 

195 


196        THE  ARMOURER 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 


Catheloigne,  13 

Cavalry,  "Weight  of  modern  equipment  of,  1 19 
Cellini,  Benvenuto,  on  damascening,  76 
Chalcis,  Italian  armour  from,  1 8,  78 

—  Brigandine-plates  from,  50 
Charnel,  The,  ill 

Charles  I,  Armour  of,  76 
Charles  V,  2,  16,  1 32,  134 
Chiesa,  Pompeo  della,  37,  140 
Christian  II,  Armour  in  Dresden  of,  75 
Cloueur,  Demi,  62 

—  Haute,  62 
Clous  perdus,  1 1 
Coats  of  fence,  84,  87 
Colleoni,  Pauldrons  on  statue  of,  5 
Colman,  Coloman,  1 33 

—  Desiderius,  134 

 his  rivalry  with  the  Negrolis,  1 6 

—  Lorenz,  133 
Cologne,  12 

Cosson,  Baron  de,  viii,  84,  1 38 

Craft  rules,  3 

Cramer,  J.,  44 

Cuir-bouilli,  97 

Cuisse  for  foot-soldier,  6 

Curzon,  The  Hon.  R,,  96 


D 

D'Aubernon,  Brass  of  Sir  John,  74 

Davies,  Edward,  48 

Dawtrey  helm,  1 19 

De  Bures,  Brass  of  Sir  Robert,  74 

Deforestation  due  to  iron-smelting,  58 

Derby,  Earl  of,  brings  over  Milanese  armourers,  15 

Derrick's  Image  of  Ireland,  48 

Dillon,  Viscount,  viii,  107,  I09,  I44 

 Ditchley  accounts,  19 

 on  proof  of  armour,  66 

Dobbles,  28,  104 

Doul,  Dr.,  and  the  Armourers'  Company,  1 22 
Dover  Castle  inventory,  25,  33,  79 
Dresden,  Armour  in,  75,  80,  134-7,  140 
Dudley,  Dud,  40,  41 
Diirer,  Albrecht,  89,  131 


E 

Edward  II  and  the  Armourers'  Company,  121 
England,  Documents  relating  to   armourers  in, 
57-60 

"  Engraved  suit,"  Tower,  lo,  53,  74,  142 
Eyelet  coats,  90 
Erasmus  (Kirkenor),  60 
Erith,  Plating-mills  at,  34,  1 88 
Estrama^on,  Proof  by,  62 


F 

Fabrics  imitated  in  armour,  77 

Falkenor,  Petition  by,  59 

FalstofFe,  Inventory  of  Sir  John,  92 

Field  of  the  Cloth  of  Gold,  Armourers  at,  3 1 

Florence,  Armourers  of,  14 

Fogge  Helm,  17 

Foulke,  Roger,  41 

Framlingham  Castle  inventory,  25 

Frauenpreis,  Matthaias,  1 35 


G 

Galeazzo  Maria  Sforza,  133 

Galliot  de  Balthasin,  1 1 3 

Gambesons,  Regulations  for  making,  85 

—  soaked  in  vinegar,  92 
Garbagnus,  21,  68 

Gauntlet  discarded  for  complex  sword-hilt,  7 
Gaya  mentions  proof  of  armour,  28,  69 
"  Glancing  surface,"  The,  3,  4 
Glazing-wheels,  3 1 

Goodrich  Court,  Leather  armour  at,  98 

 New  College  armour  at,  65 

Gratz,  Armoury  at,  1 8 
"Great  Bear"  anvil,  35,  193 
Greenwich,  Workshops  at,  32 

—  Painting  of  a  jack  at,  49 
Gresham,  Steelyard  of  Sir  Thomas,  19 
Griinewalt,  Hans,  1 35 

Guiart,  84 
Guidobaldo  II,  132 

Guise,  Armour  of  the  Due  de,  65,  118 
Gustavus  Adolphus,  Leather  coat  of,  88 
 guns  of,  99,  102 

H 

Hall-mark  of  the  Armourers'  Company,  60,  70, 
120 

Hampton  Court,  Portrait  of  the  Due  de  Nevers  at, 

30,  III 
Haselrigg's  "lobsters,"  8 1 
Hastings  MS.  mention  of  padding,  88 
 regulations  for  under-garments,  1 07 

—  Battle  of,  I 
Haustement,  The,  ill 
Hearne,  his  visit  to  Ditchley,  1 9 
Helm  for  "  barriers,"  7 

—  Fastenings  for,  1 12 
Helmet-caps,  89 
Helmschmied,  see  Colman 
Helmsmith  at  work,  23 
Hengrave  Hall  inventory,  48 

Henry  VIII,  suit  for  fighting  on  foot,  57 

—  "  Engraved"  suit,  lo,  53,  74,  142 


INDEX 


197 


Henry  VIII  imports  armourers,  l6 

Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  Armour  of,  II,  20,  59 

Hewitt,  John,  vii,  125 

Hill,  Treatise  of  Johan,  93,  173 

Hippopotamus  hide  used  for  armour,  I02 

Holinshed's  description  of  jacks,  90 

Homildon,  Arrows  at  the  battle  of,  38 

Hope,  David  le,  57 

Hopfer,  Daniel,  1 36 

Horse-armour,  8 

—  padded,  85 

—  of  leather,  1 02 

—  laminated,  9,  1 34 
Horse-trappers,  84 

—  of  leather,  98 

I 

Infantry,  Weight  of  modern  equipment  of,  1 18,  1 19 
Iron  mills,  58 

—  ore.  Poisoned,  40 

—  Prices  of,  39 

Isebrook,  as  used  by  Shakespeare,  38 
J 

Jack,  Construction  of,  49,  50 

—  Regulations  of  Louis  XI  for,  87 

—  stuffed  with  horn  and  mail,  92 
Jacobi  mentioned  as  master  workman,  66 

James  II,  Proclamation  against  use  of  gold  and 

silver  foliate,  59,  1 87 
Joinville,  Armour  given  by  the  Prince  de,  1 1 
Jousting,  Position  of  rider  in,  5 
Jousting-armour,  Construction  of,  7 
Jousting-helm,  Occularium  of,  5 

—  Fastenings  of,  112 

K 

Kelk,  John,  and  the  Armourers'  "  Manakine,"  125 
Knopf,  Heinrich,  75 

Kugler  supplies  inferior  metal  to  Seusenhofer,  1 3, 

38,  142 
Kyrkenor,  Erasmus,  60 

L 

Lames  simulated  by  embossing,  r  i 

La  Noue  criticizes  weight  of  armour,  116 

Leather  horse-armour,  102 

—  guns,  99,  102 

—  cuisses  and  morion,  98 

Lee,  Sir  Henry,  Armour  of,  19,  144 

—  —  Helmet  of,  89,  145 

 Trial  of  armour  by,  66 

 Master  of  the  Armouries,  59 


Legg,  Col.  William,  Master  of  the  Armouries,  34, 
.^93 

*'  Leicester"  suit  in  the  Tower,  57,  144 
Lewisham,  Armoury  mill  at,  35 
Lindsay  helm,  1 19 
Linen  armourers,  88,  94 
Lochner,  Conrad,  1 36 

Locking-gauntlet  in  Armourers'  Hall,  55,  1 25,  145 

Locking-hooks,  55'  5^ 

Locking-pins,  55 

Louis  XIV,  Armour  of,  21 

—  Proof  mark  on  armour  of,  68 


M 

Madrid,  Armour  in,  16,  29,  57,  75,  76,  III,  119, 

131-7,  140 
Mail  cut  up  for  gussets  and  sleeves,  19 

—  Construction  of,  44 
I     —  Double,  45 

—  Proof  of,  62 

—  Marking  of,  70 

—  Painted,  80 

—  used  at  end  of  sixteenth  century,  1 03 
i     —  Banded,  1 46 

I    —  makers,  23 

I     Manifer,  Main  faire.  Main  de  fer,  viii,  92 
i     Mantegna,  Picture  of  S.  George  by,  1 5,  1 38 
Mantua,  Francesco  di,  134 

Marche,  Oliver  de  la,  mentions  secret  tempering 
I  for  armour,  67 

I  leather  for  duelling-armour,  98 

i  Martin,  John,  Erection  of  plating-mills  by,  34,  188 
I  appeals  for  German  platers,  121,  188 

Mary  of  Burgundy,  14 

Maximilian  I,  1 3  3-7 

Maximilian  II,  2,  14,  134,  136,  141,  142 

—  his  theories  on  making  armour,  16,  143 
Mendlesham,  Village  armoury  at,  18,  90 
Merate  brothers,  14,  1 36 

Merchant  Tailors,  95 
Meyrick,  Sir  Samuel,  vii 

 his  theories  on  banded  mail,  48 

 the  burgonet,  54 

Milan,  12,  13,  138 

—  Important  factories  of  armour  in,  15 
Milanese  armourers  employed  by  Henry  VIII,  16, 

58 

Mildmay,  Sir  Walter,  and  the  Armourers'  Com- 
pany, 122 
"  Milliner"  derived  from  Milaner,  94 
Missaglia,  The,  21,  137 

—  Helm  in  the  Tower  by,  7 

—  Antonio,  Marks  of,  50 
 Armour  by,  14,  1 39 

—  Tomaso,  Armour  by,  138 
Mola,  Gasparo,  1 39 


198        THE  ARMOURER 

Montauban,  Chapeaux  de,  12 

Moroni,  Portraits  by,  I09 

«'  Muhlberg  "  suit  of  Charles  V,  57 

Multscher,  Hans,  Statue  of  S.  George  by,  1 4 

Musee  d'Artillerie,  Armour  in,  21,  57,  64,  65,  68, 

71,  74»         119.  136.  13%  14°'  M3 

 Eyelet  coat  in,  90 

 Horse-armour  in,  8 

 Leather  guns  in,  1 02 


N 

Nasal,  The,  46 

Negrolis,  12,  1 6,  75,  1 40 

New  College,  Armour  from,  19,  65 

New  York,  Anvil  in  Metropolitan  Museum,  24 

Niello-work  as  decoration  for  armour,  74 

North,  The  Hon.  Robert,  describes  padded  armour, 

Northumberland,  Equipage  of  the  Earl  of,  30,  III 
O 

Or  San  Michele,  Statue  of  S.  George  in,  1 4 
Ortolano,  Picture  by,  30 

P 

Painted  Chamber,  Westminster,  Frescoes  in,  8 
Passau,  13 

—  Mark  of  the  city  of,  7 1 

Parkes,  his  fowling-piece  of  "  Dudley  ore,"  41 
Passe-guard,  viii,  52,  92 

—  wrong  use  of  the  word,  viii,  4 
Pauldrons,  Large,  5 

Pavia,  Picture  of  the  battle  of,  98 
PelFenhauser,  Anton,  1 1,  75,  140 
Peruzzi,  Marchese,  1 9 
Petit  of  Blois,  76 
Petworth,  Helm  at,  1 8 
Piccinino,  Lucio,  11,  140 
Pickering,  William,  20,  59,  122 
Piers  Gaveston,  Inventory  of,  73 
Pitt-Rivers  Museum,  Culottes  and  coats  of  fence  in 
the,  84 

Plate  armour  on  legs.  Reasons  for,  3 

Platers,  22 

Plates,  Size  of,  42 

Plating-mills,  34,  1 88 

Pluvinel,  De,  II4 

Poldermitton,  The,  7 

Poore,  William,  suggests  a  preservative  for  armour, 
81 

Porte  de  Hal  Musee,  Horse-cuissard  in,  9 

 Eyelet  coat  in,  90 

Privy  coats,  87 


AND  HIS  CRAFT 

Proof  of  armour,  62-72 

 by  Sir  Henry  Lee,  66 

—  marks  on  bascinet  in  Tower,  64 
 on  armour  of  Louis  XIV,  60 


R 

Rene,  King,  85,  88,  10 1 
Rerebrace,  Construction  of  the,  5 
Richmond  at  Bosworth  Field,  2 
Richmond,  John,  and  the  Armourers'  Company, 
123 

Rivets  filed  flat,  4 
Rivet,  Sliding,  52,  53 

—  word  used  for  a  suit  of  armour,  52 
Robinet,  the  King's  tailor,  82,  9 1 
Rogers,  Prof.  Thorold,  38 
Rosebecque,  Battle  of,  loi 
Rudolph  of  Nuremberg,  44 

Ryall,  Henry  de,  94 

S 

S.  Demetrius,  Picture  of,  30 

S.  George,  Statuette  by  Multscher  of,  1 5 

 at  Prague  of,  5 1 

—  Engravings  by  Diirer  of,  89 

S.  Victor,  Picture  at  Glasgow  of,  5 1 

S.  William,  Carving  at  Strasburg  of,  I06 

Sallad  cap,  89 

—  Cover  for,  93 

—  Venetian,  93 

Sanseverino,  Armour  of  Roberto  di,  1 4 
Saulx-Tavannes,  J.  de,  28 
Saxe,  Marshal,  65,  99 
Search,  Right  of,  20,  58,  12 1 
Sebastian,  Armour  of  King,  75>  ^4° 
Seusenhofers,  The,  141 
Seusenhofer,  Conrad,  10,  74,  77>  141 

—  ^ —  complains  of  inferior  metal,  1 3 

 his  workshop  described  in  the  Weisz  Kunig, 

15 

Shrewsbury,  Gild  of  Armourers  at,  59 
Sidney,  Sir  Philip,  II5 
Sigismond  of  Tirol,  Armour  of,  2 1 
Siris  bronzes,  73 

Sliding  rivet.  Construction  of,  10,  52,  53 
Smith,  Sir  John,  91,  113,  145 
Solingen,  1 3 

SoUeret,  Construction  of,  6 

—  Unpractical,  1 1 
Speculum  Regale,  84 
Splinted  armour,  49,  51 
Spring-pins,  56 
Staley,  E.,  14 
Stamps,  Armourer's,  72 

Stanley,  John,  Sergeant  Armourer,  26 


INDEX 


199 


Staples  for  helms,  1 1 1 

Stibbert  Museum,  19 

Stokes,  W.,  The  Vaulting  Master,  113 

Stone,  Benjamin,  blade-maker,  60 

Sturtevant's  Metallica,  63 

Surcoat,  The  use  of,  79 

Sword-pommels  used  for  weights,  19 

T 

Thyrkill,  Richard,  71 
Tilt-hammers,  35,  40 
Toledo,  13 
Tonlet,  109 
Tools,  24-31 
Topf,  Jacob,  143 

 Armour  by,  19,  76 

 Armour  in  Armourers'  Hall  by,  125 

 Peculiarity  of  hook  on  armets  by,  21 

Toulouse,  12 

Tower  of  London,  Armour  in,  11,  53,  57,  74, 
119,  137,  139,  142,  144,  145 

 Helm  by  the  Missaglias  in,  7,  64 

 Jacks  in,  49 

"  Toiras  "  armour,  60 
Tresses,  109 

Turin,  Armeria  Reale,  71,  102,  141 
Tyler,  Wat,  destroys  a  jack,  49 

U 

Under-garments,  106 

V 

Vambrace,  Construction  of,  6 

Van  der  Goes,  Picture  in  Glasgow  by,  50 

Vaulting  Master,  The,  1 1 3 

Verney  Memoirs,  mention  of  proof  of  armour,  68 
 fit  of  armour,  105 


Versy,  12 
Vervelles,  46 

Vienna,  Armour  in,  14,  133-41,  143,  145 

—  Brigandine  in,  50 

—  Helm-cap  in,  89 

—  Helmet-covers  in,  93 
Vireton,  64 

w 

"Wallace  helm,  18,  117 

—  Collection,  Horse-armour  in,  9 

 Armour  in,  134,  139,  145 

 Bascinet  and  camail  in,  46 

 Tools  in,  24 

Waller,  J.  G.,  his  views  on  banded  mail,  48 

Walsingham,  49 

Way,  Albert,  107 

JVeisz  Kiinig,  15,  141,  142 

 Armourer's  tools  figured  in,  28 

Westminster  helm,  17,  18,  119 

—  Workshops  in,  32 

Whalebone  used  for  gloves  and  jacks,  100 
Whetstone,  his  project  for  light  armour  of  proof, 

59 

Willars  de  Honnecourt,  45 
William  the  Conqueror,  i 
Willoughby,  Jack  of  Sir  John,  49 
Windsor  Park  Tournament,  29,  100 
Wire-drawing,  Invention  of,  44 
Woolvercote,  Sword-mills  at,  34 
Woolwich  Rotunda,  Tools  in  the,  24 

 helm,  18 

 leather  guns,  102 

Z 

Zeller,  Walter,  92 
Zurich,  18 


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